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Changing Nature of the Academic Profession:
preliminary findings from a national survey
Leo Goedegebuure
Jeannet van der Lee
CHEMP Seminar Series: 19 June 2008
Background
• International comparative project• Follows from 1990s Carnegie Survey• 21 countries
preliminary data available
under construction
Central Questions
• To what extent is the nature of academic work changing?• What are the external and internal drivers of these
changes?• How does this differ between countries, disciplines, and
types of higher education institutions?• What are the consequences for the attractiveness of an
academic career?
Method
• Target population: all academic staff in universities working in faculties rather than central administration, who do not have adjunct, casual or honorary appointments as their substantive position
• 21 institutions volunteered to participate in response to invitation sent to all 37 Australian universities
• Representative of state and institutional groupings• Participating institutions supplied population list from
which sampling frame was constructed and the staff sample drawn (no central frame exists)
Survey distribution & response
• Online survey distributed to 5,496 individuals• Survey period: September to December 2007• 1,252 responses after final validation• Final response rate of 24.2 per cent• The sample is representative of the total population
hence outcomes can be generalised
A few words on theCarnegie Study
• Australia included in the 1990s study• As yet we do not have the original
dataset available • Therefore, comparisons are made on
reported outcomes in a number of publications
• Note: the 2007 survey is not a replication of the Carnegie Study but some elements are identical
Introducing Colin and Cheryl
• Born 1960• Married (82%)• 2 children• English = first language• Partner tertiary educated (54%),
non-academic (78%)• Colin - 91% no major breaks• Cheryl - 44% 4 years interruption• 1st academic in family• 27% - father tertiary educated• 20% - mother tertiary educated
Citizenship at birth
>40%
0.5 -1%1-10%10%
<1%
Work
• Colin 14 yrs, 3 institutions, full-time• Cheryl 11 yrs• Both employed full-time (85%)• Females more part-time• Males occupy higher ranks
Academic Rankby Gender
CARNEGIE
Gender disparities evident by
rank, particularly at senior
levels
CARNEGIE
Gender disparities evident by
rank, particularly at senior
levels
Job Satisfaction
• Rather satisfied (very high to high 55%)• Compared to Carnegie: 1990s
1990s 2007
Very Satisfied
75
14
Satisfied 41
Neutral 25
Dissatisfied 25 20
Job Satisfaction
• If I had to do it again, I would not become an academic
• This is a poor time for a young person to begin an academic career
1990s 2007
Agree 16 21
Neutral 18 20
Disagree 66 59
1990s 2007
Agree 33 46
Neutral 21 18
Disagree 46 36
Job Satisfaction (2007)
• 2/3 believe working conditions deteriorated
• 3/4 have considered changing jobs, outside sector (38%), other institution (33%), 25% overseas, 15% management
• 11% have undertaken concrete action
Some interpretations
• Pearson and Seiler (1983) Moses (1986) context factors such as work environment are most influential
• Watty, Bellamy and Morley (2003) (2008) autonomy most important in determining satisfaction
• 2007 survey suggests support for both propositions, but further analysis necessary
Activity
Average 50 hours per week
CARNEGIE
46 hours per week
CARNEGIE
46 hours per week
Teaching
• Mostly undergraduate (59%), master (27%), doctoral (22%)
• Undergrad classes ~ 220 students• Classroom instruction, individualized
instruction, course materials & curricula. • 1/4 distance education, 14% offshore• Practically orientated knowledge & skills• Teaching reinforced by research• Teach basic skills due to deficiencies• Quality focused
Research
• Individual (79%), Collaborative (88%)• Collaborators: Australian (70%), Overseas (61%) • Publications: 67% peer reviewed, 52% Aust co-authored
(o/s 20%), 45% published overseas• Ethical compliance, results freely available• High expectation to increase productivity (conform
Carnegie)• Funding should not be concentrated on most productive
researchers• $$ = research councils (49%),
institutional (44%)
Teaching v Research
• The majority of Australian academics express a preference for research over teaching, with only 7% indicating a preference for teaching.
• 70% prefer both teaching and research, but lean towards research (40%) or have a strong preference for research (29%).
CARNEGIE
Preference for
teaching
CARNEGIE
Preference for
teaching
Preferences for teaching v research
Level A Level B Level C Level D Level E
90 07 90 07 90 07 90 07 90 07
Teaching 56 28 56 29 48 34 30 20 25.5 8
Research 44 72 44 71 52 66 70 80 74.5 92
Management
• Most influence department school inst• Influence = international linkages, internal
research priorities• Shared power managers & faculty committees• Budget - institutional (56%) faculty (21%)• Internal mgt: government & external diminished• Institutional management: top-down;
administration cumbersome; strong performance orientation; little collegiality in decision making; communication with academics poor ~ managerialism
• University should play an active role in community
Where to next?
• Further detailed comparison with 1990’s Carnegie survey
• International comparisons and benchmarking
• More detailed analysis reflecting current policy issues such as diversity, governance & management, and the international academic labour market
Project website
• http://www.une.edu.au/chemp/projects/cap/
• email [email protected] to be kept up to date on further project outcomes