In my opinion
While you don’t necessarily need all these attributes, they definitely help if you are considering an administration role.
For a consumer, for instance, making the switch to an electric vehicle is a difficult decision.
Traditional academics deepen knowledge, public academics expand it.
High tuition filters out poor but often academically qualified students from other countries.
Sometimes you need to deeply embarrass yourself to grow.
The gender pay gap for faculty in Canadian universities is significant and persistent.
A group of researchers at Université de Sherbrooke came up with a unique way to educate people about the “leaky pipeline” in academe.
A part-time professor’s most important lesson: survival.
The journey back from pandemic-enforced online learning will be a steep learning curve for everyone.
Training needs to go beyond course delivery and focus on evolving issues such as student mental health and educational technology.
Could I completely re-pivot back to where I started as an academic? It would be disingenuous to claim that I had no doubts, especially on the teaching side.
The cultural dimension is particularly important as Canadian universities enroll more and more international students.
Institutions of higher learning are ideally places where there is deliberation and reflection on hard questions, and a shared grappling with the public good.
Strategic investments are needed to support all stakeholders in the transition to research equity.
Rather than transmitting course content, in-person class time should be dedicated toward deep and transformative learning.
Universities and colleges need better, more easily accessible and culturally competent mental health services targeted to the needs of international students.
If the academy truly desires greater representation in its ranks, it would provide robust postdoctoral support and dismantle the exploitative adjunct system.
While there is no doubt that the Ukraine crisis benefits from expertise in fields like political science and economics, many journalists and public commentators have been using skills or discussing subjects associated with the humanities.
One thing we are hopeful about is that as a result of the pandemic, our pedagogy will have to become more flexible and dynamic.
The full extent of the damage on scholars and research will not be known for some time, but predictions are grim.