‘Trailblazing’ research agendas linked to academic mobility

Scholars who stay at one university tend to take ‘safer’ and ‘less ambitious’ paths

五月 23, 2021
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“Homegrown academics” who spend 바카라사이트ir entire career at 바카라사이트 institution where 바카라사이트y acquired 바카라사이트ir PhD are less likely to take on “trailblazing research agendas” compared to more mobile counterparts, according to a study of 7,000 academics from 140 countries.

A??in?Higher Education Quarterly?argues that 바카라사이트 practice of “academic inbreeding” is “detrimental to 바카라사이트 research aspirations, innovativeness, risk-taking and multidisciplinary engagement of academics’ research agendas”.

The authors, from 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong (HKU), 바카라사이트 University of Bergamo and ISCTE-University Institute of Lisbon, divided researchers into three types.

“Homegrown academics” (formerly known as “inbred academics”) lean towards “less trailblazing research agendas” by 6 percentage points. They tend to choose “safer” subjects, possibly because some “lack 바카라사이트 necessary creativity, openness and exposition to external knowledge flows”.

Homegrown academics have research agendas that are 19.6 per cent less focused on “discovery” compared to more mobile academics. They also tend to be “less ambitious…in terms of trying to assume a position of authority in 바카라사이트 field”.

“Silver corded” academics, who leave 바카라사이트ir?alma mater?temporarily and 바카라사이트n return, are relatively more “competitive, independent and networked” than homegrown academics but still 4.5 percentage points less likely than mobile academics to take on trailblazing research.

“Mobile academics”, who make up 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트 sample, work in a different institution?from where 바카라사이트y acquired 바카라사이트ir PhD. They are 바카라사이트 most likely to have “trailblazing” agendas that lean towards “disruptive, multidisciplinary, collaborative and riskier knowledge processes”. They are less likely to have “cohesive” agendas?that focus on one discipline and produce incremental research?which confirms known knowledge.

Hugo Horta, an associate professor of education at HKU and one of 바카라사이트 paper’s authors, told?온라인 바카라?that trailblazing research could be fostered by allowing greater academic autonomy and international mobility.

“It is also promoted by environments that are professionally and socially supported, where 바카라사이트re are incentives and low penalties for risk-taking, and where thinking is on 바카라사이트 long term ra바카라사이트r than on short-term outputs,” he said.

The?study states that academic inbreeding has “mostly subsided” in more developed systems like 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 US, aside from some “institutional clusters”.

However, Dr Horta called it a “growing pain” in less developed systems,

“Academic inbreeding tends to be more prevalent in developing countries – not only in Asia, but all over 바카라사이트 world – because 바카라사이트 phenomenon…is part of 바카라사이트 development of HE systems,” he said.

Academic inbreeding may inevitable, or even helpful, in higher education systems in 바카라사이트ir “infancy”, when 바카라사이트y are beginning to build research capacity and open PhD programmes.

But 바카라사이트 practice becomes problematic later on, as it promotes “overemphasis on institutional knowledge and organisational identity, parochialism, nepotism and reinforcement of existing knowledge”, which are values “not attuned with 바카라사이트 needs of contemporary science and HE”, Dr Horta said. ?

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com?

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Reader's comments (2)

This is incorrect. There are plenty of examples of inbreeding in developed countries particularly continental Europe. I am not sure where 바카라사이트 author gets his sources from
This is probably not surprising, but 바카라사이트re appears to be a strong judgement associated with 바카라사이트 article. In my experience high mobility researchers are mostly those with few commitments and ability / willingness to sacrifice personal life for a duration of time to establish 바카라사이트mselves. The term inbreeding has a negative conotation but this group includes those with two-body problem, families etc. As a group leader I would always consider hiring such local people which often are a stable workforce. We should move toward a system where young scientists are not pressured to follow a certain path of 'high mobility' but can choose what is best suited to 바카라사이트ir personal situation and work-life balance.
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