Academic career progression

Education-focused careers

As an education-focused academic my work seeks to investigate career progression for those on non-traditional academic pathways and provides practical guidance and support within institutions. Whilst many higher education institutions have developed education-focussed (or teaching-only) career paths they are not typically well understood internally, and those following them often lack role models within their institutions.

Research

My work with Dr. David Walker has uncovered variations in the expression of expectations in promotion criteria and role descriptors.

Smith, S., & Walker, D. (2024). Scholarship and academic capitals: the boundaried nature of education-focused career tracks. Teaching in Higher Education, 29(1). 111-125.

Smith, S. & Walker, D. (2024). Scholarship and teaching-focused
roles: An exploratory study of academics’ experiences and perceptions of support, Innovations in
Education and Teaching International. 61(1). 193-204.

Scholarship Spotlight

Recently I have worked with a group of academics from across the sector to develop a website to signpost colleagues to scholarship resources – Scholarship Spotlight.

At the University of Sussex, I led the DARE to Transform network. This network sought to build capacity in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) through various activities including, scholarship mentoring, invited seminars, a community of practice, and a public Blog.

Practical guidance and support

I have developed some resources to help support others on this pathway seeking to advance their careers.

‘My promotion to Senior Lecturer has been confirmed – thank you again for your most excellent mentoring; I really wouldn’t have had the confidence to submit this without your support 😊’