As large organisations (often the largest employer in a locality), higher education institutions require knowledgeable, talented individuals to work in roles that support front-line staff and students. There is a wide range of academic-related support roles in administration and student and staff services that often are overlooked by doctoral graduates and research staff. ‘What Do PhDs Do?-Trends', which analysed 2003-2005 doctoral graduate career destinations found that around one in twenty moved into professional support roles in higher education and opportunities are increasing. As a researcher, you have many skills that support staff in higher education need as well as knowledge of how higher education organisations function. In return you will be employed in a familiar environment which is usually flexible and supportive.
Administration
‘The expansion in the numbers of students in higher education during the last two decades has led to a corresponding increase in the number of personnel needed to support the 'business' that is now higher education...
Increasingly 'administration' has become a more dynamic management activity in which staff collaborate closely with academic managers to make decisions which influence the university's direction.'
Administrators play an important role in the smooth running of a higher education organisation. Administrative careers can be broadly split into specialist (requiring e.g. legal, financial, personnel or management qualifications) and generalist, which we briefly consider here. Generalists are most likely to be recruited into a registry, or faculty or departmental office. Examples of activities in 'academic administration' are:
- administrating the rules and regulations and handling student- related issues
- serving on and servicing committees and academic boards
- providing administrative support for large research projects
- managing information and providing advice related to internal or external policies and procedures
- preparing reports and statistics for internal and external use
- contributing to policy and planning
- managing budgets and funding schemes
- liaising with other administrative staff, academic colleagues and students
- collaborating with external organisations
- facilitating knowledge transfer activities.
Here is an example from a recruitment advertisement describing a typical generalist opportunity in higher education.
Academic support and planning officer
We are looking to recruit to our team an Academic Support and Planning Officer who will play an important role in helping to develop our approach to university governance, and support the work of key policy-making committees. This is a wide-ranging and challenging role, which calls for a good understanding of the higher education research scene, a keen strategic sense and excellent report-writing skills.
This example outlines a role requiring more specialised experience.
Project manager
You will provide high quality project management, including monitoring and reporting of activities and outcomes, for a multi-million pound biomedical research and knowledge transfer collaborative project between two universities. You must have proven project management experience, with substantial experience of large multi-partner research projects, ideally in the biomedical field, together with professional negotiation and communication skills.
Student and staff services
If you would prefer a more people focused rather than administrative role, you might consider the growing number of opportunities to support staff and students in:
- staff development and training
- graduate schools or similar bodies
- careers services
- student and staff counselling.
Here is an example of a recruitment advertisement in this area.
Careers adviser for research staff
To support our university's research staff with their career management, development and training. You will have experience of career work or an appropriate professional qualification. Postgraduate experience and qualifications to doctoral level would be useful. Essential personal qualities include enthusiasm, curiosity, objectivity, stamina and the ability to switch tasks frequently. Above all, the postholder will need to be outgoing, to like people, and to be able to work under pressure, both independently and in a group. Professional training courses are available.
Sources from: http://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1355/Admin-and-other-support.html
0 留言:
發佈留言