Influence of Senior Academic Staff Members’ Expertise on Learners’ Career Progression. A focus on Higher Education in Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70619/vol6iss2pp15-30-784Keywords:
Senior Academic Staff Expertise, Learners’ Career Progression, Higher Education in KenyaAbstract
A full academic career encompasses both successes and failures. The purpose of this study was to delve into academic successes and failures, going beyond the conventional focus on objective measures, such as performance, rankings, and funding. Through semi-structured interviews with twelve senior academics from seven universities, we explored personal definitions of success and failure and lessons learned from these experiences. Key findings reveal shifts in senior academics’ perceptions of success and failure over time, providing a window into what matters to academics throughout their careers. Drawing on concepts from research on ‘regret’ and ‘polarities’, the study identifies ‘core realms of success and failure. The researcher also proposes a reconceptualization of success and failure that goes beyond positioning these as binary opposites and presents a more integrated, nuanced, and holistic view of what it means to lead a ‘good academic life’. The study provides pragmatic reflective prompts for institutions to consider as they reimagine policies and practices to better support this vision.
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