Professors as Academic Leaders: Expectations, Enacted Professionalism and Evolving Roles

A professor's role is to be an academic leader, and their status is achieved through a combination of factors, including research, teaching, and service. Non-professorial colleagues view professors as knowledgeable and skilled, while professors themselves perceive their roles as challenging and rewarding. The bases of these perceptions are explored, and their implications for the professoriates evolving role are discussed.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 22 August 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

What is the role of a professor? How does someone achieve professorial status? What do non-professorial colleagues think about professors? How do professors themselves perceive their roles? What are the bases of these perceptions, and what are their implications for the professoriates evolving role both within the neoliberal university and in the approaching post-neoliberal era? Professors as Academic Leaders draws on a wealth of data to explore what it is to be a professor and consider how professors are perceived by others. Linda Evans presents the findings from four studies, with a combined data base of over 2,400 questionnaire responses and over 90 interview transcripts, and discusses their implications for the future development of the UK-based professoriate and academic leadership in higher education. She analyses the concepts of leadership and professionalism and illustrates how, in trying to meet people's expectations of them, professors' enacted professionalism is shaped by the professionalism that others demand of them. Professorship is revealed to be demanding, at times stressful and morale-sapping, and at times exhilarating and rewarding. Linda Evans questions whether universities are making best use of their most senior academics and proposes ways of refashioning professorship.

The role of a professor is multifaceted and diverse, encompassing teaching, research, and service to the academic community. Professors are responsible for imparting knowledge to students, conducting research that advances the field, and providing guidance and mentorship to junior colleagues. They also play a crucial role in shaping the academic culture and environment, fostering a sense of intellectual inquiry and collaboration.

Achieving professorial status is a challenging and competitive process that typically requires a combination of academic excellence, research productivity, and teaching experience. Candidates typically begin their academic careers as graduate students, working towards a Ph.D. or other advanced degree. They then pursue postdoctoral positions, which provide additional research experience and allow them to develop their research skills. After several years of postdoctoral work, candidates may apply for tenure-track positions at universities.

Non-professorial colleagues have varying perceptions of professors. Some may view them as highly knowledgeable and skilled individuals who are dedicated to their work and the academic community. Others may view them as arrogant or disconnected from the realities of the classroom. Professors themselves perceive their roles differently, depending on their individual interests and priorities. Some may see their role as primarily teaching, while others may see it as primarily research.

The bases of these perceptions are complex and multifaceted. One factor that contributes to these perceptions is the nature of the academic job market. Professors are in high demand, and there are often more qualified candidates than available positions. This can lead to competition and stress, which can impact the way that professors perceive their roles.

Another factor that contributes to these perceptions is the changing nature of higher education. The neoliberal university has placed a greater emphasis on marketization and efficiency, which has led to changes in the way that professors are evaluated and rewarded. This has led to concerns about the quality of education and the impact of the academic job market on the academic community.

In response to these challenges, there have been efforts to refashion professorship. One approach is to promote greater diversity and inclusion in the professoriate. This can involve increasing the number of women and minorities in the professoriate, as well as providing support for underrepresented groups. Another approach is to promote greater collaboration and interdisciplinary research. This can involve creating research centers and institutes that bring together researchers from different fields and disciplines.

However, there are also challenges associated with these efforts. For example, promoting greater diversity and inclusion can be difficult due to the historical and systemic barriers that exist in higher education. Promoting greater collaboration and interdisciplinary research can also be challenging due to the different research methodologies and perspectives that are involved.

In conclusion, the role of a professor is multifaceted and diverse, encompassing teaching, research, and service to the academic community. Achieving professorial status is a challenging and competitive process that requires a combination of academic excellence, research productivity, and teaching experience. Non-professorial colleagues have varying perceptions of professors, which are shaped by the nature of the academic job market and the changing nature of higher education. There have been efforts to refashion professorship, but there are also challenges associated with these efforts. By working together to address these challenges, we can create a more equitable and inclusive academic community that benefits all members.

Weight: 470g
Dimension: 155 x 233 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350126626