Germany’s academic system is admired all over the world. It is almost entirely publicly funded, while studying at most of its higher education institutions is free of charge. However, the working conditions enjoyed by a vast majority of German academic staff do not seem to live up to the stellar reputation German science has internationally.
Working in Academia
Falling in and out of love with academia: the story of my academic aspirations
What comes to your mind when you think about academia? Is it the excitement of working with knowledge and of contributing to the world? Or is it a job prospect filled with insecurities and competition? You may come up with different answers, depending on the country where you live in, your personal situation, and your academic aspiration. For me, the second scenario is on the top of my head.
Early-career researchers pursuing an academic career in Ireland: mind the training gap
In many national contexts, Irish one included, if an early-career researcher wants to have an academic career, especially in teaching-focused programmes, pedagogical, technological and content expertise are usually required. However […]
What does it mean to be an early-career higher education researcher? And why we should all care
If you are reading these lines, there is a good chance you are thinking of yourself as a higher education researcher. You may have started your academic career as […]
What kind of “methodological lifestyle” do you want as a scholar?
A couple of years ago, a doctoral advisee was at the crossroads of what he could explore for his future dissertation. During the meeting, my brilliant Michigan State University colleague, Lynn Fendler […]
Demystifying the difference between “Drama Dressed up as Scholarship” versus “Deep, Essential Work” aimed at scholarship that matters
Many early-career scholars begin their dissertations with lofty ambitions of doing work that is significant, original, and widely appreciated. However, by the time many find themselves negotiating precarious transitions between dissertation […]
Things university career advisers are not telling you
The market for university sector career advisers seems to be on the rise. This trend suggests that the activities such as searching for a field of study, choosing a PhD program or pursuing a successful post-doc career have become more complex. […]
From writing articles to editing someone else’s: journal editorial work from an early-career researcher’s perspective
Two weeks ago, on November 1st, I experienced a new kind of pride that I hadn’t felt before during my doctoral studies. The first issue of a new higher education journal, Journal of Praxis in Higher Education (JPHE) […]
Academic careers in the UK: how it works
The expectation in the UK is that you will probably spend the bulk of your academic life doing both teaching and research. While this is probably true, how you get there, and what it looks like if/when you do, will vary. Some aspects of academic careers here look good […]
This is how we ended up in Porto – reflections on academic mobility
Academic mobility isn’t a new phenomenon in higher education – moving around has always been a part of being an academic. But the necessity of being mobile and flexible has increased: today, mobility is considered more of “a must” for all academics. […]