Constructing an academic identity in Australia: an autoethnographic narrative

This paper examines the process of academic identity construction experienced by a Chinese PhD student in an Australian university from 2010 to 2014. The researcher draws on his diaries written in Australia and uses some stories of the relationships with his supervisors and other scholars to unfold the process of his academic identity construction in a host academic community. Two years on, the researcher reflects on the challenges confronted during his candidature, exploring the Australian PhD education system from within. This study will help educators and supervisors to understand an international higher degree research student’s gradual academic identity construction as a cultural Other in the context of globalized higher education systems, and it will contribute to the mutual understanding between supervisors and international research students, as well as supervisors’ professional supervision in a globalized higher education context.     

How can PhD supervisors play a role in bridging academic cultures?

ABSTRACT

PhD supervision is generally deemed a rewarding experience as supervisors and students embark on an academic journey together. Pursuing a PhD in a ‘foreign’ context inevitably brings forth distinct opportunities and challenges for students and their supervisors. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, this qualitative study of supervisors and PhD students examines the cross-cultural facets of doctoral supervision in the light of Urie Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological theory of human development and its underpinning explanation for supervisory processes and learning orientations. Undertaken in the Danish context, our paper highlights exemplars of contrasting supervisors’ and PhD students’ experience in relation to academic and psychosocial adaptations. This research strongly endorses that supervisors’ appreciation of the intertwined link between academia and society combined with a positive view of their role in bridging academic cultures can powerfully complement students’ adjustments and subsequently make a qualitative difference towards a more fulfilling and meaningful academic journey together.     

“双一流”建设高校海归教师的二元学术网络特征

基于35所“双一流”建设高校的教师调查数据,根据近似性理论和社会网络理论分析海归教师的海外和本土二元学术网络特征,考察海外流动的学术网络构建作用。研究发现,海外流动对海外和本土学术网络产生相反的影响,海外流动经历显著优化了海归教师的海外学术网络规模、关系强度和网络顶端,但显著降低了本土学术网络关系强度。不同类型的海外流动对学术网络构建的影响作用存在差异,海外博士/工作流动对海外学术网络的优化作用和对本土学术网络的削弱作用最大,其次是海外博士留学,最后是海外工作流动。不同回国阶段海归教师的二元学术网络特征存在显著差异,随着回国时间的推移,海归教师的海外学术网络优势逐渐下降,本土学术网络劣势有所修复。高校应充分利用海归教师的跨国社会资本优势提升中国高等教育的国际化水平,并促进海归教师尽快融入本土学术圈。     

学缘和海归教师学术职业发展--一项基于上海高校的混合研究

学缘对教师学术职业发展有重要影响,而海归教师因同时拥有国内和海外二元学术关系网络而在学缘上表现出特殊性。本研究采用混合研究方法,在量化部分以上海21所高校的359位海归教师为样本,在质性部分对来自上海6所高校的10名海归教师开展一对一半结构访谈,共同探究学缘对海归教师学术职业发展的影响。研究发现:高校海归教师对自身学术职业发展现状的评价不高;学缘影响海归教师学术职业平台选择以及职业"入场券"的获得。"校缘"对海归教师学术职业发展影响不显著,但与海外导师联系的频率对海归教师学术职业发展有显著正向影响。研究最后从高校、学院和个体层面对促进高校海归教师学术职业发展提出政策建议。     

Determinants of PhD student satisfaction: the roles of supervisor,department, and peer qualities

Understanding the determinants of PhD student satisfaction is likely to become increasingly vital for universities as student satisfaction rankings already ubiquitous at undergraduate and master degree levels extend more broadly to the PhD level. Moreover, as PhD student populations and university competition become increasingly transnational, there is a growing need to understand cross-nationally common determinants of satisfaction. Building on prior research into PhD student satisfaction, and drawing upon relevant conceptual and metrical refinements in the measurement of satisfaction from cognate domains of psychology, we use cross-sectional data (N?=?409) from PhD candidates across the sciences, social sciences and humanities in 63 universities from 20 countries to examine how overall PhD student satisfaction is determined by, respectively and in combination, supervisor, department and peer-group, in terms of both their academic qualities and supportiveness. Taken together, we find that supervisor supportiveness is the greatest predictor of PhD student satisfaction, but that supervisor academic qualities have no significant effect. However, both the academic qualities and supportiveness of departments significantly predict PhD student satisfaction, suggesting university departments and PhD supervisors would ideally work jointly, and perhaps more closely than many currently do, to achieve competitive levels of PhD student satisfaction.     

Deliberative academic development: the potential and challenge of agency

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we explore possibilities and challenges for deliberative academic development. Deliberative academic development refers to a practice that engages members of the university in dialogue about its purposes, ways of organizing and leading higher education, as well as teaching and learning. The paper critically analyses data from focus group interviews with academic developers from four universities within two national contexts. Combining sociological conceptualizations of agency and the framework of ‘epistemic living spaces’, the paper offers insights into challenges and opportunities for deliberative academic development, as well as a framework for studying agency in other contexts.     

Critical emancipatory research and academic identity

Abstract

This paper documents the development and manifestation of academic identity among seven master's and six PhD students as they read towards their respective qualifications at the Central University of Technology, Free State. According to these students, this development occurred in the context of their carrying out research couched in the theoretical framework of critical emancipatory research (CER). The reported transformations seem to be characterised by newly acquired abilities to talk back, to stand up for one's chosen position and to thoroughly interrogate sources of information, including what is presented as self-evident. Using Fairclough's (2004) textually oriented discourse analysis (TODA) and Ineke Meulenberg-Buskens’ free attitude interview technique, the thirteen students produce narratives confirming how doing CER research has created opportunities for them to be passionate about what they do. This study reports on these reflections by the students and no claim of any causal relationship between CER and the formation of academic identity is made.     

The transnational in-between identity of Chinese student returnees from the UK: Mobility,variations and pathways

Considering the rising tide of international student return mobility, the UK needs to pay attention to the long-term circulation and development of international student returnees. This study analyses the mobility, variations and pathways of the transnational in-between identity of Chinese student returnees from the UK, an under-researched group in the changing dynamics of international student mobility. This longitudinal study uses original data from 48 semi-structured interviews to show how student returnees’ identities change over time in transnational sociocultural contexts. This study develops a spider chart comprising multiple manifestations of transnational selves to account for returnees’ intermediary and heterogeneous states of transnational in-between identities. Based on the empirical evidence, the study finds that transnational in-between identity is characterised by a ‘self-in-between mobility’, seeking compromises and connections between the polar extremes of essentialist and non-essentialist approaches to identity. In such an identification process, the changing dynamics of agency play a pivotal role in (re)shaping multiple identity pathways as variegated temporal outcomes of mobility. The findings not only advance the theoretical and methodological constructs of identity, but also have implications for relevant concerns in international education.     

大学学术人员在学术事务管理中影响力的实证研究

二十世纪八十年代以来,我国大学学术人员逐渐参与学术事务管理。文章从教学计划制定、专业设置、学科建设、学术人员招聘与晋升四个方面对18所大学的学术人员和行政人员进行实证调查。结果显示,经过二十多年的成长,学术人员在学术事务管理上获得了一些成效,但是,还存在参与程度表层化、学术人员与行政人员合作不融洽和"双肩挑"现象显著等问题。     

Academic adaptation amid internationalisation: the challenges for local,mainland Chinese,and international students at Hong Kong’s universities

Internationalisation has been actively pursued by Hong Kong’s universities. Recent years have witnessed quantitative growth in non-local students. To ensure a qualitative success of internationalisation, it is crucial that universities cater for students with diverse academic backgrounds. This research explored challenges to academic adaptation. Focus group interviews were conducted with 124 local, mainland Chinese and international students at four Hong Kong universities. Findings revealed variation in academic adaptation challenges. First, adaptation to an English-medium-of-instruction was a concern for local and mainland Chinese students, while international students noted that limited English proficiency among other students undermined classroom discussions and led to tensions in group projects. Second, local students faced challenges in adapting to a wider range of assessment modes and academic writing, while mainland Chinese and international students reported how teacher-student relations and teaching approaches differed from prior educational experiences. Implications for the delivery of higher education amid internationalisation are discussed.     

Understanding the real barriers to technology-enhanced innovation in higher education

Background: Academic staff have a key role to play in the innovation efforts of universities aiming to exploit the potential of web-based learning technologies. Although learning technologies are an important building block of educational innovation, the eLearning adoption rate of European academic staff appears disappointing. The majority of curricula in European universities are stalled in the traditional pedagogical model of knowledge transmission, which continues to dominate teaching and learning.

Purpose: This conceptual paper explores underlying structural and cultural barriers to technology-enhanced innovation in higher education.

Sources of evidence: Starting from the underdeveloped state of eLearning in European universities, the paper challenges arguments that visible barriers such as technical issues, budget constraints or lack of interest in technology amongst academic staff represent the actual reasons for the slow advancement of learning technologies in university curricula.

Main argument: The paper argues that the lack of faculty interest and engagement for eLearning are visible symptoms for deeply rooted causes, which hinder current innovation efforts of universities. It explores theoretical viewpoints for structural peculiarities of universities, motivational and habitual traits of academic staff, and long-standing cultural values in the academic community in an attempt to understand their impact on technology-enhanced innovation in higher education.

Conclusions: The real dilemma for eLearning innovation is caused by macro-level influence factors that even committed universities can hardly overcome at institutional level. University leaders have to take the underlying innovation barriers into account when they try to engage academic staff for the use of learning technologies. With a realistic view on existing limitations, institutional eLearning adoption efforts have to be tailored to serve real learning needs and motivations of academic staff; and they have to consider specific goals and contexts within different universities.     

教学评估:新建本科院校内涵建设的直接动力

新建本科院校是中国高等教育大众化进程中异军突起的重要力量,新本科院校在高等教育的高速发展中获得了机遇,也面临严峻的挑战。从教学评估的积极意义角度,认真思考教学评估中显现的新建本科院校的普遍性问题与困难,提出以教学评估促进新建本科院校内涵建设的相应策略,教学评估为新建本科院校成为真正合格的本科院校引领了正确方向,是新建本科院校内涵建设的重要契机与直接动力。     

Industry and PhD engagement programs: inspiring collaboration and driving knowledge exchange

Universities are breaking away from the academic apprenticeship-type PhD model towards more individualised and collaborative programmes. Papers published in peer-reviewed academic journals on this topic were compiled to investigate the conversation surrounding PhD reform. Important considerations derived from the literature were that PhD programmes should encourage candidates to rethink their professional identity, acquire an interdependent suite of skills from a range of contexts and set goals in multiple working environments. Continued commitment to programmes that recognise the converging similarities and interdependencies between research and industry was supported, but with a flexible approach in order to maintain the uniqueness of the PhD as a process where academic identity is formed and academic rigour is respected as an important outcome. Best practice might be aimed at offering work placements in multiple environments to keep professional identities current. Areas for further exploration include perceived challenges, benefits and concerns when engaging in collaborative programmes.     

Love acts and revolutionary praxis: challenging the neoliberal university through a teaching scholars development program

ABSTRACT

There has been significant interest in developing academics through Teaching Scholar Development Programs across the USA, Canada, the UK, and more recently in Australia. At their core, such programs develop academics across teaching scholarship, leadership, promotion, and award opportunities, where universities reap the benefits of developing such a cadre of leaders. This paper pays witness to one such a program in an Australian university to highlight enactments of caring passionately. We use qualitative survey evaluation data, metaphor analysis and reflective practice to nuance the pleasures, passions and challenges of the lived experiences using phenomenological and metaphor lenses to describe our experiences. Metaphors provide powerful insights into the dimensions of experience as they open up how programs are perceived and experienced. Our paper disrupts traditional linear writing through rhizomatic, multivocal and multitextual encounters to challenge dominant authorial voicing. The academic identity work and emotional work required in the program is unfolded through evolving, experiencing and reflecting on the program to inform design and highlight what we have come to (re)value in our academic work when we come together to learn, share, and lead. We forge ways to be and become with and against neoliberal agendas that have choked the soul of ‘the university’ to evolve rich spaces and practices of/for reciprocity and kindness where not only learning can thrive, but where love acts – a much needed revolutionary praxis for our time.     

归国人员在高等教育领域的地位及变迁

本文根据作者整理的两大数据库提供了关于归国人员情况的量化分析。一是来自中国前134所大学中936名现任高层管理人员(校长、党委书记、副校长、党委副书记)的简历。二是在中国排名前25的大学中任教的2044名归国人员的简历。基于这些数据,可以看出中国高等教育领域中归国人员状况的变化趋势、分布情况以及流动性。对于归国人员特征的描述能帮助我们更好地探讨至关重要的问题：那就是面对国家教育政策的变化,中国大学的师资(无论是受本土教育还是受海外教育)需要做哪些定位、调整和改进?     

The role of peer review in identity development for engineering education researchers

ABSTRACT

Peer review has been the focus of an ongoing study at a series of recent annual conferences of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education (AAEE). A further development of this study has been to explore the perspective/s of the authors of these conference papers and the impact that peer review can have on their development as researchers. This paper uses the identity-trajectory framework to illustrate relationships between peer review and academic identity construction for engineering education authors in the AAEE community. Participants’ responses illustrate how various aspects of responding to reviews and writing reviews for other authors, contribute to the development of the networking and intellectual strands of their academic identity as engineering education researchers. We suggest that members of the global engineering education community should be mindful of how they write their peer reviews of conference papers to ensure the opportunity to constructively contribute to their peers’ successful transition into this different research paradigm is not missed.     

Casual Academic Staff in an Australian University: Marginalised and excluded

Abstract

The transition from a planned centralist economy to a market economy over the last decade of the 20th century has presented Russian universities with many profound challenges. These challenges require universities to review and consider their organisational culture and deserve careful study. This paper describes the changes that have taken place at Tomsk Polytechnic University ‐ one of oldest, largest and leading Russian universities.     

全员育人背景下高校学院学风建设路径刍论

当前中国正处于实现中华民族伟大复兴的关键时刻,人才是中华民族伟大复兴和中国在国际竞争中制胜的法宝,高校学风建设的不断推进有助于培养各类高级专门人才,助推中华民族伟大复兴梦想的实现。文章对高校学风建设存在的问题进行分析,从全员育人的角度出发,以学院为基础单位,深入探究高校学院学风建设的有效路径。     

Indigenous knowledges,universities, and alluvial zones of paradigm change

ABSTRACT

In the past two decades, Indigenous faculty and graduate students at research-intensive universities have been asserting a kind of cultural and intellectual sovereignty over their own academic production and participation. While colonization through assimilationist education suppressed – and continues to suppress – Indigenous community knowledge and Indigenous scholars have been drawing on Indigenist revival movements creating new academic works and challenging the conventions of what constitutes research. This article presents conversations in contested spaces regarding Indigenous identity and expression. It draws, in part, on the author’s own experience traveling between Indigenous communities and universities while supervising Indigenous PhD students. Universities are in conflicted positions as they ostensibly invite Indigenous expression, but resist the undoing of conventional hierarchies that maintain hegemonic equilibrium. Are Universities that open spaces for Indigenous knowledges and the place-based blending – and bending – of metaphysical and physical realities leading a paradigm change in ecological consciousness? Can Indigenous scholars and Indigenous communities be represented in academic locations in ways that redirect the goals and purposes of research and knowledge production? This writing is a reflection on emerging, and ongoing, questions of Indigenous advance in academic spaces.     

Challenges facing Chinese academic staff in a UK university in terms of language,relationships and culture

The recruitment of international academic staff is viewed as one of the strategies to internationalise the universities. International academic staff, however, usually encounter many challenges when in a foreign context. This study aims to investigate the challenges of Chinese academic staff teaching in the UK in terms of language, relationships and culture. Eight Chinese academic staff from three different disciplines in one UK university were interviewed. The interviews focused on three areas: their language abilities, socialisation patterns and ideas of pedagogy. It is hoped the study may help institutions, educators and scholars to consider this worthwhile issue as an area of study and provide better support to meet the needs of international academic staff.