University dualism leaves some staff ‘falling between the cracks’

Universities need to develop alternative career paths for researchers who “fall between the cracks” of academic and professional staff, according to a report that highlights a number of challenges caused by this “dualistic” approach.

Authors of the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) paper say a shift to more collaborative, multidisciplinary and open types of research, particularly amid the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), has contributed to the growth of “third space professionals”.

University staff who cannot be described as either an academic or part of professional services are increasingly found working in technology transfer, the authors highlight, or as scientific staff overseeing laboratories or equipment.

Through a series of case studies, the Hepi paper finds that they face a number of challenges, a key one being that career progression in the third space is often “uncharted”.

Authors Jonathan Grant and Tom Kennie also warn that there are a number of different types of transition to and from the third space, and individuals navigating these routes require more active support.

“At the core of both of these observations is an increased need for ‘wayfinding’; that is, helping research, and other, third space professionals find and fulfil a productive, recognised and valued career,” they write.

The paper recommends that universities do more to support transitions of third space research and technology professionals, especially those entering higher education from other sectors.

It says universities need to acknowledge and develop alternative career paths that are not “constrained by the current academic versus professional staff dualism”.

“It is fascinating how many people fall between the cracks of the classic academic versus professional staff dualism that characterises so much of academia today,” said Dr Grant, a former vice-principal at King’s College London and founder of the consultancy firm Different Angles.

An increased interest in third space professionals had yet to turn into action, he added, and there was an “urgent need” for universities to map out how to support them better.

Amid the changing nature of work and the “evolving social purpose of universities”, the report warns, without changes, universities and individuals will face further strain.

Dr Kennie, founder of the consultancy firm Ranmore, said third space professionals joining from outside academia needed help in transitioning into a “unique and often baffling culture”, while those within academia had to navigate an HR system that does not formally recognise them in terms of career pathways and development.

“And as a result, there is a risk that the sector will not retain these creative individuals that are critical to the future of universities,” added Dr Kennie.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com