Should academic careers always unfold in exactly the same way? Is there one best way of being an academic? This book says no. Assumptions about who academics are and what they should do are becoming increasingly narrow and focused on achieving so-called ‘excellence’ in teaching and research above anything else. This book problematises this and explores the scope for doing academic careers differently. Authors paint individual or group portraits of their academic careers, working with metaphors which challenge the dominant discourses of how academic careers should be led. From rejecting the pressure to focus on ‘one big thing’, to prioritising nurture and care, transcending disciplinary boundaries, reshaping own daily practice, connecting with communities, and being academics outside academia, the chapters in this book offer those considering, starting, or developing an academic career a treasure trove of many alternative possibilities. Presented as a portrait gallery through which readers are encouraged to meander at will, this compilation of insights into alternative academic lives will help to inspire and encourage current academics to re-think and take ownership of their careers in their own terms, according to their own strengths, weaknesses, and circumstances.

Should academic careers always unfold in exactly the same way? Is there one best way of being an academic? This book says no. Assumptions about who academics are and what they should do are becoming increasingly narrow and focused on achieving so-called ‘excellence’ in teaching and research above anything else. This book problematises this and explores the scope for doing academic careers differently. Authors paint individual or group portraits of their academic careers, working with metaphors which challenge the dominant discourses of how academic careers should be led. From rejecting the pressure to focus on ‘one big thing’, to prioritising nurture and care, transcending disciplinary boundaries, reshaping own daily practice, connecting with communities, and being academics outside academia, the chapters in this book offer those considering, starting, or developing an academic career a treasure trove of many alternative possibilities. Presented as a portrait gallery through which readers are encouraged to meander at will, this compilation of insights into alternative academic lives will help to inspire and encourage current academics to re-think and take ownership of their careers in their own terms, according to their own strengths, weaknesses, and circumstances.

This book reimagines what it means to begin an academic life by exploring the diverse, nonlinear, and often invisible paths that lead people into academic careers. Through essays blending critique and celebration, it gives voice to those who balance doctoral work with caregiving, activism, migration, and marginalization. The book challenges the myth of the “ideal academic” and expands the meaning of success in higher education.Readers will gain both insight and affirmation from this collection. The essays deliver practical wisdom and emotional resonance by weaving autoethnography, poetic inquiry, and narrative reflection into acts of resistance and renewal. The book’s approach is deeply interdisciplinary, drawing from feminist, postcolonial, and organizational theory, to reveal how structural inequities shape who gets to belong in academia. By modelling reflective, creative, and plurality of writing, it offers readers ways for reimagining mentorship, scholarly identity, and the rhythms of academic life itself.Starting Academia Differently is written for early career researchers, doctoral students, and academic leaders seeking to make universities more humane, inclusive, and imaginative. It will also resonate with educators, mentors, and practitioners in higher education who wish to support diverse trajectories and foster spaces where different kinds of scholarship, and scholars, can thrive.

This book reimagines what it means to begin an academic life by exploring the diverse, nonlinear, and often invisible paths that lead people into academic careers. Through essays blending critique and celebration, it gives voice to those who balance doctoral work with caregiving, activism, migration, and marginalization. The book challenges the myth of the “ideal academic” and expands the meaning of success in higher education.Readers will gain both insight and affirmation from this collection. The essays deliver practical wisdom and emotional resonance by weaving autoethnography, poetic inquiry, and narrative reflection into acts of resistance and renewal. The book’s approach is deeply interdisciplinary, drawing from feminist, postcolonial, and organizational theory, to reveal how structural inequities shape who gets to belong in academia. By modelling reflective, creative, and plurality of writing, it offers readers ways for reimagining mentorship, scholarly identity, and the rhythms of academic life itself.Starting Academia Differently is written for early career researchers, doctoral students, and academic leaders seeking to make universities more humane, inclusive, and imaginative. It will also resonate with educators, mentors, and practitioners in higher education who wish to support diverse trajectories and foster spaces where different kinds of scholarship, and scholars, can thrive.

This book focuses on the evolving landscape of teaching and learning. It brings together an array of pedagogical materials, case studies, and stories used in teaching from around the world.By showcasing teaching-focused innovations, this book bridges gaps between institutions and across geographical boundaries, demonstrating that what may seem commonplace in one setting can be groundbreaking in another. The perpetual quest for improving student satisfaction and enhancing their learning experience underscores the need for fresh perspectives and approaches, which this book delivers with diversity.Featuring contributions from faculty around the world, this compendium is a valuable reading for early and seasoned academics who are passionate about creativity in teaching and pedagogical innovation.

Should academic careers always unfold in exactly the same way? Is there one best way of being an academic? This book says no. Assumptions about who academics are and what they should do are becoming increasingly narrow and focused on achieving so-called ‘excellence’ in teaching and research above anything else. This book problematises this and explores the scope for doing academic careers differently. Authors paint individual or group portraits of their academic careers, working with metaphors which challenge the dominant discourses of how academic careers should be led. From rejecting the pressure to focus on ‘one big thing’, to prioritising nurture and care, transcending disciplinary boundaries, reshaping own daily practice, connecting with communities, and being academics outside academia, the chapters in this book offer those considering, starting, or developing an academic career a treasure trove of many alternative possibilities. Presented as a portrait gallery through which readers are encouraged to meander at will, this compilation of insights into alternative academic lives will help to inspire and encourage current academics to re-think and take ownership of their careers in their own terms, according to their own strengths, weaknesses, and circumstances.

Should academic careers always unfold in exactly the same way? Is there one best way of being an academic? This book says no. Assumptions about who academics are and what they should do are becoming increasingly narrow and focused on achieving so-called ‘excellence’ in teaching and research above anything else. This book problematises this and explores the scope for doing academic careers differently. Authors paint individual or group portraits of their academic careers, working with metaphors which challenge the dominant discourses of how academic careers should be led. From rejecting the pressure to focus on ‘one big thing’, to prioritising nurture and care, transcending disciplinary boundaries, reshaping own daily practice, connecting with communities, and being academics outside academia, the chapters in this book offer those considering, starting, or developing an academic career a treasure trove of many alternative possibilities. Presented as a portrait gallery through which readers are encouraged to meander at will, this compilation of insights into alternative academic lives will help to inspire and encourage current academics to re-think and take ownership of their careers in their own terms, according to their own strengths, weaknesses, and circumstances.

This book reimagines what it means to begin an academic life by exploring the diverse, nonlinear, and often invisible paths that lead people into academic careers. Through essays blending critique and celebration, it gives voice to those who balance doctoral work with caregiving, activism, migration, and marginalization. The book challenges the myth of the “ideal academic” and expands the meaning of success in higher education.Readers will gain both insight and affirmation from this collection. The essays deliver practical wisdom and emotional resonance by weaving autoethnography, poetic inquiry, and narrative reflection into acts of resistance and renewal. The book’s approach is deeply interdisciplinary, drawing from feminist, postcolonial, and organizational theory, to reveal how structural inequities shape who gets to belong in academia. By modelling reflective, creative, and plurality of writing, it offers readers ways for reimagining mentorship, scholarly identity, and the rhythms of academic life itself.Starting Academia Differently is written for early career researchers, doctoral students, and academic leaders seeking to make universities more humane, inclusive, and imaginative. It will also resonate with educators, mentors, and practitioners in higher education who wish to support diverse trajectories and foster spaces where different kinds of scholarship, and scholars, can thrive.

This book reimagines what it means to begin an academic life by exploring the diverse, nonlinear, and often invisible paths that lead people into academic careers. Through essays blending critique and celebration, it gives voice to those who balance doctoral work with caregiving, activism, migration, and marginalization. The book challenges the myth of the “ideal academic” and expands the meaning of success in higher education.Readers will gain both insight and affirmation from this collection. The essays deliver practical wisdom and emotional resonance by weaving autoethnography, poetic inquiry, and narrative reflection into acts of resistance and renewal. The book’s approach is deeply interdisciplinary, drawing from feminist, postcolonial, and organizational theory, to reveal how structural inequities shape who gets to belong in academia. By modelling reflective, creative, and plurality of writing, it offers readers ways for reimagining mentorship, scholarly identity, and the rhythms of academic life itself.Starting Academia Differently is written for early career researchers, doctoral students, and academic leaders seeking to make universities more humane, inclusive, and imaginative. It will also resonate with educators, mentors, and practitioners in higher education who wish to support diverse trajectories and foster spaces where different kinds of scholarship, and scholars, can thrive.

This book focuses on the evolving landscape of teaching and learning. It brings together an array of pedagogical materials, case studies, and stories used in teaching from around the world.By showcasing teaching-focused innovations, this book bridges gaps between institutions and across geographical boundaries, demonstrating that what may seem commonplace in one setting can be groundbreaking in another. The perpetual quest for improving student satisfaction and enhancing their learning experience underscores the need for fresh perspectives and approaches, which this book delivers with diversity.Featuring contributions from faculty around the world, this compendium is a valuable reading for early and seasoned academics who are passionate about creativity in teaching and pedagogical innovation.