Editing Lecturer (section)

====Historical use====
Historically in the UK, promotion to a senior lectureship reflected prowess in teaching or administration rather than research, and the position was much less likely to lead directly to promotion to professor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://london.ac.uk/about-us/how-university-run/policies|title=Policies|website=University of London}}</ref>

In contrast, promotion to senior lecturer nowadays is based on research achievements (for research-intensive universities), and is an integral part of the promotion path to a full chair. Promotion to reader (or principal lecturer in post-1992 universities) is sometimes still necessary before promotion to a full chair; however, some universities no longer make appointments at the level of reader (for instance, the University of Leeds and the University of Oxford). Senior lecturers and readers are sometimes paid on the same salary scale, although readers are recognized as more senior.

Many open-ended lecturers in the UK have a [[doctorate]] (50.1% in 2009–2010) and often have [[Postdoctoral researcher|postdoctoral research]] experience.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/the-rise-and-rise-of-phds-as-standard/415203.article |title=The rise and rise of PhDs as standard|work=Times Higher Education |date=17 February 2011| publisher=timeshighereducation.co.uk |access-date=2011-03-04 }}</ref> In almost all fields, a doctorate is a prerequisite, although historically this was not the case. Some academic positions could have been held on the basis of research merit alone, without a higher degree.<ref>For example, [[David Fowler (mathematician)|David Fowler]] retired as a senior lecturer in mathematics at Warwick in 1990 without having obtained a doctorate. See [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/david-fowler-549972.html "Obituary: David Fowler"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110314083904/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/david-fowler-549972.html |date=14 March 2011 }}, ''The Independent''</ref>