The changing academic profession in the UK: the challenges of professional renewal Forskervilkår under press? 24. mars 2010, Hotel Bristol i Oslo William Locke, Assistant Director Centre for Higher Education Research and Information (CHERI)

Outline 1.Background and introduction 2.UK CAP survey findings 3.Discussion of findings

1. Background and introduction UK context Institutional context Academic staff at UK HEIs

Background: the UK context Expansion and differentiation Government steering Changing governance arrangements Stronger institutional management Dominance of research & its separation from teaching Academic pay & conditions Levels of satisfaction and stress Increasing proportion of foreign nationals

Background: the institutional context Increasing pressure and insecurity Diversification, specialisation and stratification Blurring distinctions Internationalisation of academic work Entrepreneurialism

Academic staff at UK HEIs: 2006/07 Excluding atypical Source: HESA

Type of institutionProportion of population (excluding not known) Research intensive universities34% Other pre-1992 universities31% Post-1992 universities28% Post-2004 universities3% HE colleges4% Research institutes0% Total100%

Academic staff at UK HEIs 2006/07: by type of contract

2. UK CAP survey findings Overall satisfaction with the job Academic work Beliefs about institutional decision-making Personal affiliation Views on administration & management

Overall satisfaction Current job satisfaction, by institution type Source: CAP 2007

Overall satisfaction Current job satisfaction, by career stage

Academic work - Primary interest, 1992/2007 Source: CAP Primarily in teaching 12%11% In both, but leaning towards teaching 32%28% In both, but leaning towards research 40%37% Primarily in Research 15%24%

Personal influence and affiliation – Affiliation to academic discipline, department & institution Source: CAP 2007

Views on institution’s approach & management performance – Management of own institution Source: CAP 2007 %

UK CAP survey findings: summary In 2007 UK academics: are doing less teaching and more research would prefer to do both some are being channelled into one or the other, or believe they are hardly compatible have varied conceptions of scholarship and professional responsibilities worry about threats to the quality of research do not agree with the further concentration of research funding a large minority have a negative view of the profession and the management of their institution are generally less satisfied than in 1992 a large minority have seriously considered working outside of HE still appear to be differentiated by institution-type, but in modified ways

3. Discussion of findings The transformation of academic work The challenges for academics: professional renewal

The transformation of academic work & ‘the academic workforce’ segmentation differentiation role changes professionalisation & continuing development commodification & privatisation marketisation corporatisation shifting power relationships

The challenge for academics: professional renewal forms of governance & management styles organisational structures & cultures professional identities & values

William Locke Assistant Director Centre for Higher Education Research & Information The Open University 44 Bedford Row London WC1R 4LL Tel: +44 (0)