For academic line managers, transitioning a department into a dual-intensive model that emphasises both excellent teaching and high-quality research is a significant challenge. The research-teaching nexus (RTN) represents a dynamic relationship between research and teaching,…
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In some universities, academic departments are tasked with delivering exceptional teaching while simultaneously increasing research output. Transitioning a department from a teaching-intensive model to a dual-intensive culture—where excellent student experience and research performance coexist—can seem…
A Common Challenge for New Academic Managers Picture this: It’s your first few months as a line manager of academic staff. You’re leading a departmental meeting, and you notice one academic sitting back, arms folded,…
Coach Yourself!: Navigating Your Path as a First-Time Academic Manager Congratulations on stepping into the role of an academic line manager! You’ve moved from being an excellent academic professional—perhaps an inspiring teacher, productive researcher, or…
Managing academic staff can be challenging, particularly if you’re a first-time line manager navigating the delicate balance between fostering autonomy and ensuring adherence to deadlines. Academics, driven by intellectual freedom and creativity, sometimes do not…
Strategies for first-time line managers to motivate and support academics struggling to meet objectives, are often hard to come by when you assume the role of manager. For academics, whose work often combines teaching, research,…
As an early career academic, finding out that a colleague has published your ideas can feel both discouraging and intimidating. You might worry about causing conflict or damaging professional relationships, especially when you’re just…
As an academic, you are already juggling responsibilities like teaching, research, publishing, and administrative tasks. While your expertise is undeniable, the ability to manage these diverse responsibilities efficiently is just as crucial. Have you ever…
Stepping into an academic leadership role is an exciting milestone, yet it can also bring self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy. Imposter syndrome—characterised by persistent self-doubt and the belief that success is undeserved—affects many high-achieving professionals,…
As a first-time line manager in a university setting, you may have already discovered that managing academics is not always straightforward. One particularly difficult situation is knowing what to do when a staff member lies…
For first-time line managers in universities, stepping into a leadership role often brings a mix of excitement and apprehension – how do I manage staff with more experience than me? This is especially true when…
“If you knew you couldn’t possibly fail, what would you try?” This is a favourite staple of executive coaches, and for good reason. It strips away everything that inhibits your achievement, and gets you to…
In academia, research transformation is a crucial goal for universities seeking to stay at the forefront of knowledge creation. Academic managers, responsible for leading and motivating staff, can face the challenge of dealing with disengaged…
In the pursuit of academic excellence, research productivity and impact play a pivotal role. Academic managers, responsible for shaping and supporting research endeavours, sometimes encounter failures in their efforts. This article explores the lessons learned…
Creating a positive research culture in a teaching-intensive university in the UK requires a multifaceted approach that involves fostering collaboration, providing support, and recognising and rewarding research achievements. Here are some steps you can take…
Reward and recognition can be effective strategies for motivating and engaging university research staff. Here are 5 ways managers can utilise these approaches: 1. Establish Clear Criteria For Recognition Develop clear and transparent criteria for…
Encouraging university lecturers to write funding bids can be challenging, particularly when they have a high teaching and administration workload. While writing funding proposals is an essential part of academic research, it can be difficult…
Teaching intensive environments are excellent places to develop research that can be directly applied to society. Businesses like to engage with practical academic staff who can deliver innovative, pragmatic solutions to industrial problems. Coaching academics…
Performance agreements are a crucial tool for research organisations to ensure that they are meeting their objectives and achieving the success they desire. A performance agreement is a document that outlines the goals, responsibilities, and…
The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) by AdvanceHE recognises excellence in the provision of teaching within UK higher education. Each year since 2000, 55 individuals have been selected to receive this national award. A common…