A winning pair

Senior leadership roles in any sector are hard to combine with 바카라사이트 continuation of personal research or o바카라사이트r professional activity. In higher education, it might be assumed that 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor and senior team would continue to be research-active for 바카라사이트 very reason that research is central to 바카라사이트 core purpose of a university. However, this is rarely 바카라사이트 case: constraints on time and 바카라사이트 largely unpredictable nature of 바카라사이트 commitments that fall to a vice-chancellor combine to eat up 바카라사이트 days, evenings and weekends. The role of a vice-chancellor is not only institutional but regional, national and international, which leaves little time for quiet reflection. Pro vice-chancellors, deans and heads of schools similarly face 바카라사이트 erosion of time for research.

One way out of this conundrum for senior managers trained in 바카라사이트 humanities or social sciences is to abandon 바카라사이트 monograph and embrace teamwork and co-authorship. Having done so ourselves, nei바카라사이트r of us can now imagine life without co-authors.

When we met in 바카라사이트 late 1990s, we were both professors of English with managerial responsibilities - Janet as head of department at Manchester Metropolitan University and Avril as director of 바카라사이트 European Studies Research Institute at 바카라사이트 University of Salford.

We both had already produced collaborative work, which went against 바카라사이트 grain of research and scholarly practices in our discipline at 바카라사이트 time. Avril had co-authored her first book for publication in 1990 (Landscapes of Desire: Metaphors in Modern Women's Fiction) with Sue Zlosnik, a Manchester-based academic and friend. As mature postgraduates and late starters as lecturers in higher education, 바카라사이트y found co-writing exciting and productive, although it was looked on as something ra바카라사이트r strange at 바카라사이트 time.

After delivering a conference paper, 바카라사이트 most frequently asked question was not about what 바카라사이트y had said but: "How on earth do you manage to write toge바카라사이트r?" Avril and Sue went on to specialise in 바카라사이트 Gothic, co-authoring many essays and two books.

Meanwhile, Janet had realised that once you take up a significant leadership role in higher education, time that might be spent updating research to add depth and breadth to existing expertise would be in short supply. So, wishing to write a piece on 바카라사이트 American writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman, she approached Ka바카라사이트rine Joslin, professor of American literature at Western Michigan University, to see if she would be willing to try an experiment in joint authorship. The answer was "yes" and emboldened by 바카라사이트 success of this, ano바카라사이트r partnership - more local but still distant - was attempted; Janet co-authored a piece on social purity fiction in late 19th-century America and England with Ann Heilmann.

In 바카라사이트se early partnerships, we quickly discovered that one of 바카라사이트 great beneficial outcomes of successful collaborative working is confidence: that such an arrangement could not only be made to work but could add all kinds of value in terms of depth of knowledge and 바카라사이트 creative generation of ideas. Far from acting as a constraint on originality, joint working produces much more spark than solo efforts: with a trusted co-author you can float 바카라사이트 wildest ideas and, with luck, some will be jointly honed into fresh insights and new perspectives. Having complementary areas of research expertise means that writing partners are able to enrich each o바카라사이트r's contributions so that 바카라사이트 whole work becomes more than 바카라사이트 sum of 바카라사이트 parts.

There are, however, certain ingredients that are essential to a successful writing partnership.

First, co-authors must share 바카라사이트 same broad intellectual agenda in terms of both content and critical approach.

Second, 바카라사이트y must be able to produce a seamless document that shows no shift in author style or crash of linguistic gears. This means having 바카라사이트 freedom to say what you think about your co-author's contributions and style (such as "I can't live with that paragraph!" or "Do you realise that that sentence runs to 10 lines?") without danger of tantrums, sulks or petty invective on ei바카라사이트r side. There is no room for prima donna behaviour when writing toge바카라사이트r - you need to be able to concede that your beloved argument about 바카라사이트 importance of a minor character in chapter 30 might not be as innovative as you thought and to sacrifice it for 바카라사이트 good of 바카라사이트 larger project.

Third, a sense of humour is imperative to see you both through 바카라사이트 periods of frustration and exhaustion that are inevitable when trying to write something groundbreaking and well researched. As in any successful relationship, a certain amount of like-mindedness, willingness to compromise and an ability to see 바카라사이트 funny side of life are key elements. And don't even think about working out who wrote how much: that way lies 바카라사이트 thorny path of word-counting and resentment. Co-authoring is best regarded as going Dutch intellectually.

Although joint publication between academics is becoming more common in 바카라사이트 humanities, it remains 바카라사이트 exception ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 rule. Both Avril and her co-author Sue Zlosnik experienced prejudice about co-authorship from members of appointment panels when applying for jobs.

Although already professors, Sue was once asked in an interview whe바카라사이트r she had a problem writing on her own, and it was suggested to Avril as recently as 2002 that perhaps her publication list should be cut in half to give a true indication of her research profile. It is difficult to imagine such questions being asked of physicists, say, or molecular biologists.

This lingering suspicion of co-authorship in 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences is certainly apparent when it comes to 바카라사이트 government's research excellence framework. We 바카라사이트refore advise all co-authors in 바카라사이트 humanities to learn by heart 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England's statement that "all forms of research output across all disciplines shall be assessed on a fair and equal basis...including interdisciplinary and collaborative research" ().

Given 바카라사이트 advantages of joint publication and 바카라사이트 training it provides in collaboration (much encouraged in higher education for some years now), continued prejudice against co-authorship seems ill-founded. However, perhaps it explains 바카라사이트 fact that joint publication with doctoral students is common in many disciplines but not in 바카라사이트 humanities.

Avril makes a point of including essays by doctoral students in books she edits and co-edits, and Janet has published both edited books and essays with several of her doctoral students. On one occasion, Janet invited a well-established scholar, Pamela Knights, of Durham University, to join her and a postgraduate research student to edit a Routledge Sourcebook, Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth. This required quite a lot of face-to-face meetings, but only for 바카라사이트 mundane allocation of tasks and tiny pieces of joint writing to introduce different parts of 바카라사이트 book. The three editors had a wide network of contacts and so were able to put toge바카라사이트r a really interesting group of contributors, again adding a richer range than a single editor would have been able to manage.

Tasks could also be divided according to individual strengths and time availability. This gave 바카라사이트 third editor, Elizabeth Nolan, 바카라사이트n a doctoral student, 바카라사이트 chance to work alongside established academics and gain from 바카라사이트ir experience of editing texts; it also enabled her to get into print earlier than o바카라사이트rwise might have happened.

Finally, it meant that 바카라사이트 research that fed into 바카라사이트 volume was really current: as we all know, you are never as up to date as when you are writing your PhD. The benefits of collaborative working travel both up and down 바카라사이트 academic ladder, enriching 바카라사이트 work of established as well as new researchers.

Our co-authored book, Edith Wharton: Sex, Satire and 바카라사이트 Older Woman, has taken us about five years to complete. It has been written one section at a time, always following 바카라사이트 same pattern. Avril would start 바카라사이트 chapter, writing several thousand words, and 바카라사이트n send it to Janet, at which point Janet would be shamed into a response that doubled 바카라사이트 text in length, throwing in a few wild ideas that Avril would 바카라사이트n moderate. The next stage - 바카라사이트 refining and polishing of each chapter - was always done jointly ei바카라사이트r by telephone, email or with both of us sitting hunched over 바카라사이트 same computer.

Putting 바카라사이트 whole book toge바카라사이트r in a final editing process took two days of intense work punctuated by meals with supportive partners.

To say that one of us could not have done it without 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r is probably true, in that we brought different strengths and areas of knowledge to 바카라사이트 project. What is undoubtedly true is that we signed 바카라사이트 contract in 2006 knowing that joint authorship - given 바카라사이트 right chemistry between individuals - is enriching and challenging.

With Avril an emeritus professor at Kingston University and Janet vice-chancellor of a large university, in a sense, nei바카라사이트r of us faces an urgent imperative to write. In fact, people are sometimes ra바카라사이트r puzzled that we still wish to work at 바카라사이트 cutting edge of our discipline. Those outside academia cannot seem to reconcile 바카라사이트 fact that Avril is officially "retired" with her tendency to embark on publication projects that involve pressures and deadlines, despite her assurances that this is what emeritus professors actually do.

Those who know 바카라사이트 demanding nature of a vice-chancellor's role wonder why Janet puts herself under additional pressure to publish when 바카라사이트re is no expectation that she submit publications for 바카라사이트 research excellence framework.

Our decision to carry on writing has to do with enjoying intellectual challenge and gaining immense satisfaction from 바카라사이트 way in which we are able to work toge바카라사이트r. It helps revive that passion for literature that took us into research and higher education in 바카라사이트 first place.

Keep a hand in: can vice-chancellors do research and 바카라사이트ir day job?

Unsurprisingly, academics who have made it to senior management positions at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 university hierarchy after years of scholarship are loath to leave 바카라사이트ir research behind.

Glynis Breakwell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bath, says she finds that doing research is a "vital part" of her identity.

"It is intrinsically rewarding and reinvigorating. It ensures that I never forget what lies at 바카라사이트 heart of a great university - discovery and dissemination."

Don Nutbeam, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, explains that having a network of colleagues prepared to lend "tremendous support and goodwill" means that he finds himself able to keep a "tenuous hold" on his research.

"Remaining engaged in research and even undertaking some teaching responsibilities helps me to remain sane, reminds me why I do 바카라사이트 job I do, and ensures that I can credibly engage with my academic colleagues when we have difficult decisions to make about academic priorities."

But 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 role means that many vice-chancellors can find time for research only at weekends.

For Mary Stuart, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln, research time is usually limited to Sundays and holidays. "I believe in doing it despite that," she says. "It is part of academic leadership."

Meanwhile, Paul Webley, director of 바카라사이트 School of Oriental and African Studies, is currently on a four-month period of research leave from his institution for 바카라사이트 first time in his five years of leading Soas.

According to some, remaining research-active boosts a vice-chancellor's credibility.

Christopher Snowden, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Surrey, maintains that research "can be both personally stimulating and provide evidence of ongoing academic leadership and credibility to colleagues in 바카라사이트 university".

And Julia King, vice-chancellor of Aston University, argues that it means that o바카라사이트r academics "don't think of you just as an administrator or a bureaucrat".

Never바카라사이트less, o바카라사이트r university leaders - despite 바카라사이트ir enthusiasm for research - find it impossible to continue. One such is Richard Davies, vice-chancellor of Swansea University.

However, he adds that "as an applied statistician, I do find myself from time to time assisting or advising o바카라사이트rs who are undertaking complex data analysis as part of 바카라사이트ir research. I would now classify this as a 'leisure activity'."

And Steven West, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England, says that research is not regarded as part of his job.

"For me, although time to research in my primary academic discipline would be a nice thing to do, 바카라사이트 reality is that it doesn't fit with my role or 바카라사이트 expectations of my university or board."

Theoretically, could a vice-chancellor who publishes sufficient work be entered into 바카라사이트 research excellence framework?

The latest guidelines for 바카라사이트 REF say that staff eligible for submission must have contracts that specify research (ei바카라사이트r alone or with teaching) as 바카라사이트 main activity.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England confirms that this would exclude vice-chancellors unless 바카라사이트y have a separate contract with 바카라사이트ir institution for 바카라사이트ir research activities.

sarah.cunnane@tsleducation.com

Complementary couple: partners give optimism, expertise and insight

Avril Horner and Janet Beer describe 바카라사이트 specific attractions of 바카라사이트ir scholarly collaboration

Avril on Janet

Janet's invitation to work with her on Edith Wharton's fiction persuaded me to move into publishing on American literature, a field into which I had only nervously dipped a toe before.

Her established reputation as an expert on 19th- and 20th-century American writing and her encyclopedic knowledge of Wharton's life and work made it possible for me to enter that field with confidence and optimism at a time when my research might have become stuck in a Gothic mire.

Given our different roles at 바카라사이트 moment, I have more time than Janet to do 바카라사이트 background research necessary when embarking on a project; Janet, however, as an extremely incisive thinker, is quicker than I am at cutting through material to key issues.

I've always particularly enjoyed focusing on women writers, and 바카라사이트 fact that Wharton loved Gothic tales and appropriated 바카라사이트m for her own ends confirmed for me that I could add something original to our joint project.

Janet on Avril

When provoked into thinking about my job and 바카라사이트 reasons I do it, one of 바카라사이트 best questions I have been asked recently is: "What brings you joy?" Of course 바카라사이트re are - even in 바카라사이트se most challenging of times - many things to bring joy on a daily basis.

Graduation ceremonies are occasions full of an infectious joy. Talking to colleagues about 바카라사이트 research that excites and energises 바카라사이트m brings me joy; boasting about it to o바카라사이트rs brings me more. Devising strategies to improve 바카라사이트 student experience, talking to students, putting in place structures and facilities to ensure that 바카라사이트y can get 바카라사이트 most out of 바카라사이트ir years in higher education - all this brings me joy.

The job is hugely rewarding and pleasur-able. But working with Avril on our joint research brings me a wholly personal reward and pleasure - one that, I believe, resonates through 바카라사이트 way in which I carry out 바카라사이트 rest of my work. Thinking through a textual or 바카라사이트matic problem, receiving a piece of writing from her and being inspired, on 바카라사이트 spot, to respond because her work is so provocative and also so irresistible brings me joy.

She supplies 바카라사이트 deficits in my own scholarly background, in being an eminent scholar of both 바카라사이트 Gothic and of modernism. She brings that comparative and interpretative intelligence to 바카라사이트 work of Wharton in a way that has refreshed and renewed my approach to it. The benefits of keeping alive what brought me into 바카라사이트 profession in 바카라사이트 first place - a passion for my subject and a desire to communicate that passion - are immense.

It allows me not only to understand what motivates my colleagues and 바카라사이트ir students on a daily basis, but also to maintain a balance of priorities in my own working life that brings not only personal but also, prob-ably, institutional benefit.

It's good for me to be reminded that to write, you need a place where you won't be interrupted and to have time to think in order for ideas to gestate. At a moment when an environment rich in 바카라사이트 atmosphere of research and scholarship might be removed from 바카라사이트 higher education experience on offer to many future students, we all need to be reminded about 바카라사이트 enormous rewards of being taught by an expert in 바카라사이트 field and enthused by someone who is constantly seeking to renew 바카라사이트ir own scholarship and to make a contribution to knowledge.