Collaboration in a Liminal Space: Pracademia

Abstract

In the context of contemporary policy development in higher education, which focusses on student outcomes as a central measure of success, the recruitment of academic staff has diversified in response. The authors explore the insights, experience, knowledge, and skills that academics with either former or current practitioner experience (‘pracademics’ or second-career academics) can bring to this setting that can complement those of existing faculty. Drawing on findings from empirical, theoretical, and reflexive research, and experiences of developing associated research-informed communities of practice, the authors consider increasing debates around pracademia, the value of labels, the liminal spaces that pracademics occupy, and the potential roles of this group within wider policy agendas. In doing so, we outline the next stages for this research programme.