Academic Culture Research Articles

Homo academicus in Transition

Modern universities, especially the ones not belonging to the small elite group from the top of the world ranking lists, but occupying the slippery terrain of the open market of the “economy of knowledge”, are forced to change the traditional, habitual modes of work, principles and values, and are considered obliged to perform as more competitive, responsible, and efficient in the eyes of the society and the world of the new era. Broadly, this is the framework of the explanation of the huge scientific-professional hyperproduction treating the university changes, both in the world context and our domestic one. Here the focus is on the Belgrade University and the modes in which the members of this institution relate to the changes in the socio-economic, political, and cultural context, that influence the development of the local academic community and its “culture”. The paper is the result of the research conducted during 2022 and 2024, based mainly on the interviews with several full professors of the Belgrade University. The aim has been to reach the most authentic insight into the experience of working at this University during the 30-year long period of transition in Serbia. According to the statements of my interviewees, the “Bologna reform” in the widest sense of this term is habitually taken to represent the reference point of the higher education “transition”, according to which we can observe the key changes in this area, directly or indirectly linked to the process of the wider social transition. The vast material was first systematized according to the chronological principle, dividing the process of transition into three decades, where my interlocutors compared the conditions and changes that accompanied and determined the university work. The material was then systematized according to the qualitative principle, singling out the most important changes that the interviewees experienced themselves or observed in their surroundings, in respect to two basic functions of university: teaching and research. The theoretical-methodological postulation of this approach is that the members of an academic community share the so-called “academic culture” and that the characteristics of this culture and the ways it changes (or remains the same) may only be approached by focusing on individuals and the modes in which they change their social actions, interpret and modulate the newly acquired culture, due to the pressures of the changing conditions.

British ideas for new colonial universities at the end of empire

ABSTRACT This article shows that longstanding connections established through inclusion in the British Empire were maintained in significant ways after individual countries became independent, but remained within the Commonwealth. Although Britain declined as an international power, and largely lost its empire, it reveals ongoing British soft-power in academic cultures. The article provides a new scholarly analysis, moving away from presumptions about the anglicised university ideal in the Global South. How did British ideas transfer themselves to former colonial universities? Who was involved in the process? To answer to these questions, this research focuses on the transnational activities of the Inter-University Council, the University of London and African and Caribbean universities during the late and post-colonial eras. Liberal, elite and residential education, a balance of teaching and research schemes were combined; institutional autonomy was a further added important elements in the classic British university cultures. However, the notion of Britain’s institutional autonomy differed in colonial universities, but functioned well for protecting their academic freedom. The circulation of British ideas for universities was a means of anglicising overseas universities at the end of empire. Britain succeeded in keeping alive the bonds of the Commonwealth universities across the wider world.

Exploring Social and Intellectual Isolation Among Postgraduate Researchers: Implications for Inclusive Teaching and Learning Initiatives

Inclusive teaching and learning initiatives aim to foster supportive environments that cater to students' diverse academic and social needs. Within the context of postgraduate research, students often confront significant levels of solitude, experiencing both social and intellectual isolation. While existing literature predominantly addresses social isolation, a distinct form of isolation inherent to postgraduate research, termed 'topic-related loneliness', has been largely overlooked. Despite its historical acceptance within academic culture, attrition rates of up to 70% point to the possible detrimental impact of isolation on student retention. Understanding the levels and determinants of isolation amongst postgraduate researchers is important for developing effective interventions. This study investigates whether social and intellectual isolation present prevalent challenges within the research community of a university in Ireland. The main aims are to understand the causes of research postgraduate isolation, explore potential links between isolation and attrition rates, and propose viable interventions, such as online communities of practice for researchers. To address these dimensions, the study adopts an explanatory sequential design, reframing the phenomenon of intellectual isolation within the context of inclusive pedagogy. Data collection includes a survey capturing the lived experiences of current and former research postgraduate students, followed by thematic analysis. Departing from traditional research paradigms, this sequential study integrates qualitative and quantitative methods, offering a nuanced understanding of the experiences and perceptions of postgraduate researchers. The findings aim to address existing deficiencies in research postgraduate education, elucidate the underlying causes of student challenges, and provide insights into proposed support systems and interventions that may be useful to university research communities, the development of higher education research policy, and the improvement of retention rates at research postgraduate level.

Confronting gendered racism: Rethinking maladaptive behaviours of African American women pursuing doctoral degrees at predominantly White institutions

AbstractThis phenomenological study critiques the limited understanding of how African American women confront gendered racism at one predominantly white institution in the United States. It also challenges the disciplinary conversation around maladaptive behaviours, which often attributes the onus and blame to the individual. Rather than replicate or perpetuate deficit‐oriented frameworks or analysis of African American women's behaviours, this research counters the narrative of maladaptive behaviours as merely personal failures, arguing instead that these behaviours are responses to a gendered and racist system. The authors draw from Black feminist thought and self‐efficacy theory to examine the ways in which African American women in doctoral programmes may perceive and respond to racist environments and circumstances that could prevent their persistence and achievements. Findings suggest that African American women in doctoral programmes exhibit maladaptive behaviours such as avoidance, anticipatory rejection, negative self‐talk, and survival mode when coping with gendered racism in university environments. These strategies may have sufficed earlier in the academic careers of African American women; however, due to the specialised nature of doctoral study, the overutilisation of these tactics and behaviours may be impacting individuals maladaptively. Furthermore, the long‐term effects of continuous maladaptive behaviours can have further implications for the individual and collective success of African American women in academia. Given the multifaceted nature of African American women, this study seeks to expand knowledge about their actions and behaviours in response to systemic challenges. It calls for a reorientation of our understanding of maladaptation. Context and implicationRationale for this studyThis study explores the maladaptive behaviours of African American women in doctoral programmes at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), focusing on how gendered racism influences these behaviours.Why the new findings matterThe findings illuminate the specific ways in which gendered racism fosters maladaptive behaviours, which in turn affect the psychological well‐being and academic success of African American women.Implications for practitioners, policy‐makers, and academic institutionsThe study underscores the urgent need for systemic changes within academic environments to support African American women effectively. It calls for institutions to not only recognise but actively address the root causes of gendered racism. By doing so, they can dismantle the structures that perpetuate these challenges and foster a more inclusive and supportive educational landscape. This involves reevaluating institutional policies, enhancing support mechanisms, and integrating comprehensive training for faculty members and staff to understand and combat gendered racism. Ultimately, this approach aims to transform academic cultures to ensure that African American women can thrive without resorting to maladaptive coping strategies.

Academic Cheating, Achievement Orientations, and Culture Values: A Meta-Analysis

This preregistered meta-analysis investigated whether cultural values moderate the relations between students’ achievement orientations and their tendency to cheat. We identified 80 studies on the associations between performance/learning orientations and academic cheating in 27 countries with 40,867 participants. Performance orientation positively correlates with academic cheating ( r = .09, 95% CI = 0.04 to 0.13), and learning orientation negatively correlates with academic cheating ( r = −.16, 95% CI = −0.20 to –0.13). Univariate meta-analysis, hierarchical meta-regression, and meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) revealed that cultural values at the country level significantly moderate the relations between achievement orientations and cheating. These findings suggested that cultural values play a significant role in influencing the relations between achievement orientations and academic cheating, and, thus, cheating prevention programs must consider culture to achieve optimal effects. Based on these findings, we propose a new model that integrates cultural values into the existing model of academic cheating decision-making.

Significance, gaps, and prospects of foresight – lessons from Indonesia

Purpose This study aims to explore some significance, gaps and prospects of foresight both for and as policy in planning and decision-making, as well as an instrument for enhancing the capacity of planners and decision makers in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach This study deploys a case study method deriving from the authors’ experience in conducting a series of foresight workshops and trainings in Indonesia. The workshops, which involved government officials from the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) and the Coordinating Ministry of Investment and Maritime Affairs (KemenkoMarves), were designed with two agendas. First, to apply foresight in the actual process of policy cascading for the formulation of the national long and mid-term development plan (Rencana Pembangunan Jangka Panjang Nasional (RPJPN) and Rencana embangunan Jangka Menengah Nasional (RPJMN)). Second, from the process itself, to improve the capacity of government officials in decision-making by using a more explorative method of planning. Findings The result shows that foresight proves to be a useful method that enables a more systematic exploration of events, trends and eventually drivers with which plausible future scenarios could be explored, thus leading to more adaptive policies. With regard to the prospect, foresight is seen as a more inclusive and participatory-based approach, which embraces a robust democratised process of policy construction. However, the practice is also challenging in its nature. Government officials have been prolongedly familiar with positivistic methods, hence considering the application of foresight as an endeavour of a new academic culture of planning, which requires them more time, resources and pondering. Research limitations/implications Considering the methodological prospect and the intrinsic uncertainty of the future, this paper argues the need to nurture planners and decision makers to have the capacity to design more adaptive policies as offered by explorative methods like foresight. Consequently, this is also a call for the Indonesian Government to recognise the significance of the method and to provide relevant institutional support for wider practice, or exploration at the least. However, as a note of limitation, the workshops were conducted only with government officials, thus the result should only represent the point of view of the public sector. Originality/value This paper contributes to the progress of foresight studies by presenting an original case study of the practice in Indonesia. The foresight workshops were facilitated by the authors, thus the insights brought in this paper derive from the first-hand experience of the authors. Moreover, as foresight is considered as a new endeavour in Indonesia, this paper helps provide a key novelty unfolding the reliability and prospect of foresight as an instrument for planning and decision-making.

Reaping the rewards with minimal toil: Evaluating the polemics of artificial intelligence in academia and the future of academic writing

The use of Artificial Intelligence in academic writing swings on the edge of revolution and obliteration, where the promise of unparalleled efficiency clashes with the specter of intellectual dilution, which challenges the essence of academic rigor and originality. This paper interrogates the ways in which the two extremes of innovation and traditional writing methods in academia can be integrated. As such, the paper argues that it is essential to incorporate new technologies and modern AI tools with critical and historical aspects of academic culture rather than replacing them. In essence, AI should only augment what researchers are able to do, not replace them. As a result, it is important to set specific guidelines and standards in order to deal with issues, of authorship, data collection, controlled storage, and validation of artificial intelligence products. Lastly, the paper recommends the necessity of training and education about AI tools for academics and scientists in institutions of higher learning. The academic community should seek to implement policies and strategies that allow for the use of AI technologies in the execution of scholarly activities without compromising the quality of academic writing.

The Masculine Figure of a University Rector in the Narratives of Polish Female Academic Leaders

ABSTRACTThere is a growing interest in the underlying mechanisms affecting female leaders in higher education. And this paper examines the problem by focusing specifically on Polish public universities which historically stands out by particularly low number of female university rectors. The core of the study is based on 15 in‐depth expert interviews with female university rectors and vice‐rectors. The paper argues that the large deficit of female rectors has been influenced by the traditional masculine figure of a university rector deeply embedded in the Polish academic culture. We demonstrate evidence that the masculine figure of a rector still strongly affects the perception of who is destined to perform the role.

‘Like to comment on that?’

Abstract Questions are powerful interactional devices which academic lecturers may use to facilitate learning, engage students and add to a lecture’s interactivity. This contrastive and corpus-based study examines student-oriented questions, i.e. those initiating a student response, in British and Montenegrin university linguistics lectures. It aims to answer research questions regarding what forms of this question category are employed; how frequent they are, what functions they commonly perform, and whether there are any similarities and differences in these respects between the two groups of lectures. The data include 12 lectures in linguistics from several British academic corpora and a specially created corpus of 12 Montenegrin linguistics lectures. We combine quantitative and qualitative approaches to arrive at results which point to certain similarities and differences between the corpora. Some of these might be explained by the language differences between English and BCMS (Bosnian/Croatian/Montenegrin/Serbian), while others seem to have stemmed from academic lecturing style differences. The findings add to the literature on questions in academic lectures and, together with other contrastive studies, may contribute to revealing the universal and culturally-specific discourse features of academic lectures across academic cultures, as well as be pedagogically useful for lecturers, particularly novices, who are teaching linguistics in English and BCMS.

Cultural Barriers to Women's Progression in Academic Careers: A France-Brazil Comparison Through the Lens of the Queen Bee Phenomena.

Despite significant improvements, women are still underrepresented at high levels in academia. Most research on these inequalities is conducted within a specific national academic system, without taking into account its cultural roots. The aim of the present study was to analyze the extent to which the cultural context acts as a barrier on women's career progression. Specifically, we focused on psychological processes described under the metaphor of Queen Bee Phenomenon that may reflect the ways in which female academics conform to male-gender roles encoded in androcentric social and academic culture. Two samples of women academic, one French (N = 73), the other Brazilian (N = 88), were compared through the lens of two dimension of the Queen Bee Phenomena: self-group distancing and gender hierarchy legitimation. Brazilian women identify more with their female peer group than their French counterparts. French women are more hostile to quotas and more inclined to adhere to meritocratic discourses than their Brazilian counterparts. Both academic contexts tend to perpetuate gender inequalities, but in different ways: by maintaining gender-stereotypical expectations in Brazil and meritocratic ideology in France. The implications for policies to promote a more egalitarian university context are discussed herein.

Grensekryssing i yrkesfaglærerutdanningen: Betydningen av studentenes utviklingsprosjekter

This article aims to explore how vocational teacher students’ work with development projects can create coherence between learning in the university and learning in teaching practice. Previous research indicates that students often perceive a lack of coherence between the academic knowledge culture in the university and the experiential knowledge they encounter in teaching practice. The study uses boundary crossing as a theoretical approach, and the results are based on interviews with vocational teacher students. The results reveal that their work with development projects strenghten programme coherence by linking the learning arenas university and teaching practice. The development projects also acted as boundary objects, facilitating the integration of the different knowledge cultures and practices. This study contributes to understanding the potential of development projects to create coherence between university and teaching practice in vocational teacher education. The results suggest the need for closer collaboration between universities and schools in supporting vocational teacher students’ work on development projects to enhance boundary learning.

Challenges in teaching Academic English to EFL students: a case study on writing beliefs

Writing in a foreign language is widely recognized as a highly challenging skill to master. This perspective is grounded in the notion that writing reflects our ‘pattern of thought’ (Kaplan 1966, Connor 2011), and that there are multiple academic traditions of writing, each with its own rules and conventions. As a result, transitioning between different academic writing cultures can be a frustrating and confusing experience for both students and lecturers. This paper investigates the most prevalent challenges in teaching academic English to EFL students at the English Department of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Sarajevo. The research findings indicate that EFL students lack critical thinking skills and tend to undervalue their own perspectives, leading to an overreliance on quoting and citing authors in their writing. This paper emphasizes the necessity for EAP lecturers to be well-versed in intercultural rhetoric and to effectively guide students in adapting their thinking and writing to a new academic culture./ Keywords: Academic English, intercultural rhetoric, critical thinking, writing

Digital academic platforms: Case studies of CEE (Hungary and Slovakia)

Present study evaluates the prevalence and academic usage of digital academic platforms exemplified by private universities across Hungary and Slovakia, assessing how these platforms are integrated into academic practices and highlighting certain variations in technological adoption within the CEE region. After the setting up of the relevant typology and by utilizing a dual-methodological approach, the regional e-visibility of the leadership of certain faculties is examined, while specific user motivations are also explored in a narrower sense through domestic questionnaire-based studies within Hungary. Firstly, by analyzing the use of certain i) academic social netowrking sites (hereinafter ASNSs); ii) author profiles linked to publishers; and databases without social functions at private universities and juxtaposing these with the experiences of Slovak institutions, the research highlights how these platforms are utilized to enhance research visibility and academic networking. Secondly, findings are meant to indicate that while DAPs are widely valued for facilitating scholarly communication in Hungary, localized academic cultures and individual motivations significantly shape their application.

Campus Life in Contemporary Polish, Slovak, and Ukrainian Fiction

The article focuses on the image of campus life as presented in a selection of novels written in Polish, Slovak, and Ukrainian after 1989. The author presents generic peculiarities of Slavic campus fiction and analyses the theme of (academic) coming-of-age in Slavic campus fiction. The maturation of student characters in Maryna Hrymych’s Yura and Pavol Parkov’s The Legend About the Language occurred in Soviet Ukraine and Czechoslovakia, respectively, around 1968. In contrast, the protagonists of Jagoda Grudzień’s Erasmopeja and Tania Kalytenko’s Antero undergo academic identity formation in contemporary Scandinavian countries as participants in academic exchange programs. While Hrymych and Rankov portray characters navigating totalitarian societies of the past, Grudzień and Kalytenko situate their students within the anxieties of the globalised world, where remembering the past remains crucial. The author concludes that contemporary campus fiction written in Slavic languages addresses the issues significant for the cultural memory of the particular nation. Collectively, these novels contribute to a sense of continuity in academic culture within East-Central Europe.

Book cluster: a new approach to explore the evolution of knowledge organization in ancient China

Abstract Chinese ancient book catalogs have persisted for over two millennia, serving as ancient knowledge organization systems and cultural heritage of great academic value. This article introduces the concept of “book cluster,” a novel approach to studying catalog classification evolution, offering a meso-level perspective that bridges books and categories. Drawing from computational methods, we identify clusters of books with similar categorization trajectories, enabling more efficient and intuitive exploration of knowledge organization trends. We review existing research on catalog classification, highlighting the traditional qualitative analysis and emerging computational methods. We then present our data source and processing methods. The concept of book cluster is defined, along with the algorithm for cluster identification and feature extraction. A case study demonstrates the potential of the book cluster concept in analyzing classification changes and knowledge inheritance. Additionally, we introduce an online analytical platform for further exploration. Through computational analysis of book clusters, we gain insights into the evolution of ancient book recording, circulation, and academic contexts. Book clusters offer clues about the content of lost books. This research lays the groundwork for future iterations. By pioneering the study of knowledge organization evolution using book clusters, we enhance our understanding of Chinese history's academic culture and knowledge preservation.

Reducing mental health stigma in academia: Assessing the acceptability of a first-person narrative program.

Academics are more likely to experience mental health difficulties like depression and anxiety. However, stigma remains a key barrier to help-seeking, and limited data exists on stigma reduction for academics. This study examines the acceptability of a first-person narrative-based antistigma program conducted by Dragonfly Mental Health at a large public university. This intervention used a multitiered approach that leverages education and contact strategies to reduce stigma among graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, staff, and faculty. Personal stories of six local faculty with lived experience of mental health struggles were shown in a short film during three separate departmental retreats, followed by moderated large and small group discussions. This study presents descriptive survey data from academics (N = 149) who attended one of these three programs. A thematic content analysis was conducted on open-ended responses from 86 participants. Overall, the Dragonfly Mental Health program was well-received: 95% of participants found the film beneficial, and over 92% felt the film and discussions reduced stigma. Qualitative analysis highlighted several themes on participants' experiences. Participants appreciated the open, honest disclosures of faculty members in the film but reported that the vague disclosures perpetuated stigma. Participants liked the normalization of mental illness but desired more representation from the mental health spectrum. Participants expressed frustration over an academic work culture that is defined by overwork and burnout. These findings suggest that sharing faculty stories is a powerful mechanism to build connectedness among academics, promote open communication, and foster change in academic culture around mental health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Pengaruh Supervisi Akademik, Disiplin Guru dan Budaya Kerja terhadap Kinerja Guru SD Negeri di Wilayah Pedurungan

Good teacher performance is needed in managing learning so that learning objectives can be achieved perfectly. The aim of the research is to analyze the influence of academic supervision, teacher discipline and work culture on teacher performance. This type of research is correlational. The research sample consisted of 189 teachers. Data was collected using questionnaire techniques. Based on the research results, it is known that: 1) the correlation between supervision and teacher performance is 0.993. The effect of supervision on teacher performance is 98.6%, 2) the correlation between discipline and teacher performance is 0.893. The influence of discipline on teacher performance is 79.8%, 3) the correlation between work culture and teacher performance is 0.910. The influence of work culture on teacher performance is 82.9%, 4) the correlation between academic supervision, teacher discipline and work culture and teacher performance is 0.994. The influence of academic supervision, teacher discipline and work culture on teacher performance is 98.9%. Thus, the conclusion of this research is that academic supervision, teacher discipline and work culture on teacher performance is 0.994 or 98.9%.

Appalachian High Schoolers’ Sense of Belonging in a Residential College Preparatory Program

Abstract The importance of a strong sense of belonging at school for academic engagement and performance, particularly for marginalized students, has been robustly demonstrated. However, researchers have not yet thoroughly explored its influence on Appalachian youth. As with other marginalized groups, Appalachian students may have difficulty feeling as though they belong when entering highly selective academic environments. This study investigates factors that Appalachian high schoolers identify as influencing their sense of belonging in a selective residential college preparatory program located outside of Appalachia. Employing a two-stage qualitative coding process involving analysis of open-ended survey responses and in-depth interviews with thirteen Appalachian high schoolers, we identified seven factors important to students’ sense of belonging: mental health experiences, student motivation, social identity, location of origin, interpersonal-level social context, academic culture, and school-level social context. Within these seven themes, two factors emerged that have not been linked to sense of belonging in prior literature: geographic identity (i.e., a feeling of connection to the place in which one lives) and academic achievement. The findings of this work contribute to a fuller understanding of the psychological processes affecting Appalachian students’ sense of belonging and better ensure their educational success in highly selective learning environments.

She is so (post)human: doctoral students’ perceptions of response-ability of their becoming-supervisors through caring/careful practices

ABSTRACT In this article, I propose that caring/careful practices of becoming-supervisors are practices of response-ability within neoliberalized academia. These practices, based on a feminist ontology of reciprocity, active co-presence, sensitivity and receptive openness, created a friendly atmosphere where students’ feelings and needs were taken into account and enabled their academic development in a rationalist-individualist competitive context. I present interviews with 15 doctoral students at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) regarding their relationship with their becoming-supervisors. The analysis showed that students’ perceptions of assemblage-professors’ caring/careful practices included: post-human treatment, facilitating the research, mentoring, and sheltering. Caring/careful practices allowed the students to be inspired and build trusting relationships. However, care is complex and is co-opted by the neoliberal system, which means that a complete transformation of the academic culture is necessary.

Favorite Lecturer Characters of Elementary Education Teacher Prospective Students

This research aims to discover the character aspects of lecturers most preferred by Elementary education students and the impacts and implications on the character of prospective teacher students. The method used in this research is qualitative field research with phenomena studies. Primary data were obtained from students through a questionnaire using a form instrument and unstructured interviews with an open pattern. The results showed that of the 13 aspects of lecturer character that were the most favored aspects of prospective Elementary School teacher students mapped from lecturer personality and educational competencies, namely lecturers who were able to place themselves, had high self-confidence, were tolerant, and understood students' character. The impact on students is increased motivation and self-confidence, more positive relationships, increased academic achievement, and development of student soft skills. The implications of the character of a favorite lecturer for the character of prospective teacher students are the formation of an Inclusive Learning environment, increased student psychological well-being, and strengthening of a positive academic culture.