University teachers funded to engage in educational development projects have been found to become increasingly engaged in the scholarship of teaching and learning. However, research also points to obstacles such as departmental culture, lack of support from management, and unhelpful administrative processes. In this study, I interview university…

The Czech higher educational system has transformed over the past three decades from a state-centred model evolving via strong academic autonomy to the current system, which is characterised by academic freedom but also heightened pressure to produce measurable research output. The purpose of this study was to explore how Czech academic middle…

Early career researchers are faced with the expectation of their scientific communities to conduct independent research, which is reflected in the development of independent new research lines. This change must take place under conditions that vary between national career systems. Case studies for a chair system (Germany) and two tenure systems,…

Strong collaborative partnerships are critical to the ongoing success of any urban or metropolitan university in its efforts to build the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career pathways so critical to our nation. At the University of Nebraska at Omaha, we have established a faculty leadership structure of "community…

Growth in the field of medical education is evidenced by the proliferation of units dedicated to advancing Medical Education Research and Innovation (MERI). While a review of the literature discovered narrative accounts of MERI unit development, we found no systematic examinations of the dimensions of and structures that facilitate the success of…

Legal and risk management issues substantially impact the operations of colleges and universities, which face escalating compliance requirements in an increasingly litigious environment. Failing to assess legal liability issues and to constructively address them with risk management processes create vulnerability to claims and litigation,…

To provide firsthand knowledge of investigators and institutions for the evaluation of grants proposals, the Grants staff or Research Corporation visits hundreds of colleges and universities each year. Their finding reveal that department chairmen have a unique influence on the conduct of research and the motivation of students, as well as the…

Summarizes four research projects (commissioned by the United Kingdom's Teacher Training Agency through their Teacher Research Grant scheme) which are of particular interest to science teachers. Issues addressed in the projects include self-esteem and science achievement, science teaching's effects on attitudes toward health and the environment,…

Results of a 1984 national survey of chief liberal arts academic officers (department heads, deans, and chief academic officers) are used to examine aspects of administrator careers and behavior, including grant administration, job satisfactions and frustrations, and career success. (MSE)

A survey of 197 pharmacy school faculty members found the faculty evaluation criteria deemed most important in promotion and tenure decisions included refereed publications, extramural funding, the department head's evaluation, and invited scholarly presentations. Respondents expressed a desire to have more importance placed on other aspects of…