Careers

Universities have three legs to the career stool:

1. admin or management
2. research
3. teaching

We heard three of our academics discussing the issues surrounding these strands.

The researcher recommended the need for mentors and some structure of support. She's loved the job, always has, but fell into it by accident.

The teacher quoted Pinchto intrapreneuring - do it then ask - I think he said. Teaching is less quantified in its assessment than research. aim to be on committees but teaching is less well paid than outside work, and you can't avoid the students.

The administrator explained something of a university management structure. The job involves management roles like keeping resources coming in. Managing makes a dent in your publication rate but these roles mean that you are in the centre of things because you ave collective responsibility for the management of the school so you have to have issues, dilemmas and different perspectives on performance.
The downsides of management: demanding, difficult to put boundaries, collective responsibility, takes discretionary time and mental energy.

Conclusion: management gives you the chance to experience real management and use that experience in the maelstrom (Edgar Allan Poe), which can be valuable. It is a stimulating experience which is avoidable, but needed if your career aspirations are to lead a university.