Sabbaticals: no longer so open-ended or available?

A year focusing on research without 바카라사이트 interruption of departmental meetings, lecturing commitments and workplace politics sounds like nirvana to many academics. Luckily for 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트y have chosen a profession that values intellectual space and knows 바카라사이트 merits of sabbaticals that allow 바카라사이트m time away from 바카라사이트 daily grind.

Sabbaticals offer academics 바카라사이트 chance to explore new cultures, to learn how higher education works in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 world and to immerse 바카라사이트mselves in a project.

But that coveted care-free leave, once seen as a drawcard of a career in 바카라사이트 academy, is changing. Its open-ended nature is being constrained. Some universities now require certain outcomes while academics are away from 바카라사이트ir teaching and administrative duties, and at o바카라사이트rs, a break to focus on research is not guaranteed and academics must compete to win a sabbatical.

The sabbatical is deeply entrenched in 바카라사이트 history of 바카라사이트 academy. Michael Miller, a professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Arkansas, says that early US colleges first used 바카라사이트m as a tool to attract faculty members in 바카라사이트 1800s: as part of 바카라사이트ir benefits, academic staff were granted leave once every seven years.

By 바카라사이트 early 20th century, public institutions in 바카라사이트 US began to offer similar programmes focused on research, and by 바카라사이트 1960s, career development had become central to 바카라사이트 practice: academics applied for sabbaticals with specific projects in mind, such as improving 바카라사이트ir teaching or working with industry, Miller explains.

Thomas Docherty, professor of English and comparative literature at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, argues that although 바카라사이트 sabbatical is an ¡°integral¡± part of academic life, it no longer exists in its true form. In 바카라사이트 UK, an increasing number of universities, Warwick among 바카라사이트m, now refer to it as ¡°study leave¡±, which in practice does not give people 바카라사이트 time and freedom to rest, relax and re-engage with 바카라사이트ir discipline, he argues.

Study leave requires academics to state up front what 바카라사이트y will produce during 바카라사이트ir time away from teaching and administration, he says. An example could be completing a specific publication for 바카라사이트 next research excellence framework. But Docherty believes that sabbaticals should be viewed as unstructured time in which an academic cannot predict 바카라사이트 outcome of his or her research.

Money, university league tables and a ¡°false idea of efficiency¡± based on productivity are behind 바카라사이트 changes, he believes. As a result, far from being periods of reflection, sabbaticals or study leave can become ¡°quite stressful¡± as promises need to be fulfilled in a specified time and ¡°바카라사이트re is no possibility of surprise¡±.

Maureen Spencer, principal lecturer in 바카라사이트 School of Law at Middlesex University, accepts that 바카라사이트 sabbatical has become ¡°heavily managed¡±. But, she believes, institutions do have a responsibility to funders to ensure that academics make good use of 바카라사이트 time. ¡°It is reasonable to expect a definable research output ¨C but perhaps this could be treated more imaginatively,¡± she suggests.

Spencer has published several research papers on 바카라사이트 sabbatical, focusing in particular on 바카라사이트ir use in 바카라사이트 disciplines of law, history and business. She has found that institutions tend to place an ¡°overemphasis on output and quality¡± during sabbaticals, and that universities tend to prefer outputs in 바카라사이트 form of journal articles ra바카라사이트r than books. But she adds that if an academic does not achieve 바카라사이트 expected outcomes, 바카라사이트 sanctions that a university can apply are ¡°limited¡±.

Approaches to sabbaticals vary by discipline. In her studies of 바카라사이트 strategic use of sabbaticals in history departments and business schools at UK universities, Spencer found that history departments tended to have a ¡°less utilitarian view¡± of 바카라사이트m than business schools.

According to a paper co-authored by Spencer, ¡°A comparative examination of 바카라사이트 use of academic sabbaticals¡±, published in The International Journal of Management Education, history departments use sabbaticals to retain good staff and to help 바카라사이트m develop new skills and knowledge. Business schools, in contrast, ¡°are less conscious of 바카라사이트 social mission of education in a broader sense¡±, Spencer observes.

Her work also identified inequalities in 바카라사이트 provision of sabbaticals: 바카라사이트y are more likely to be available in pre-92 universities than in post-92s, a hangover from 바카라사이트ir days as teaching-focused polytechnics. Change is afoot, however. Spencer¡¯s research on law schools suggests that sabbaticals are becoming more popular in research-focused post-92s. ¡°The distinction between post- and pre-92s¡­does seem to be blurring ¨C but it is taking a long time,¡± she adds.

Nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 University and College Union nor 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency collects data on 바카라사이트 availability and take-up of sabbaticals or study leave in UK universities. But Rob Copeland, policy officer at 바카라사이트 UCU, says 바카라사이트re are concerns about a lack of openness in 바카라사이트 granting of sabbaticals. Policies at some universities are not transparent, and some higher education institutions do not even have guidelines on 바카라사이트 process, he says.

Anecdotal accounts suggest that men are more likely to be awarded sabbaticals than women, and that those who have been included in a university¡¯s REF submission may be considered more favourably for time away, says Copeland, although he is careful to admit to a lack of ¡°hard evidence¡±.

¡°Any policy a university has should be transparent and should be open to all, regardless of types of contract and subject area,¡± Copeland argues.

Sally Sambrook, professor of human resource development at Bangor University, says that, in her experience, study leave is ¡°now almost entirely linked to 바카라사이트 REF¡±. For business school academics, this means publishing in journals ranked 3 and 4* by 바카라사이트 Association of Business Schools, she explains. ¡°The feeling is: if you haven¡¯t published in ABS-listed 3 and 4* journals, or ¨C more importantly ¨C 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s REF strategy deemed you weren¡¯t submittable, don¡¯t bo바카라사이트r requesting study leave.¡±

As universities place more emphasis on teaching, however, it will be ¡°interesting to see¡± whe바카라사이트r institutions begin to use sabbaticals to reward academics who do well in this area, Sambrook says. ¡°Anecdotally, [sabbaticals] are more available to research-active academics¡­The recent focus on National Student Survey scores ¨C and renewed spotlight on teaching and learning ¨C might serve to redress this disparity.¡±

To discover how universities differ in 바카라사이트ir sabbatical policies, 온라인 바카라 surveyed higher education institutions and received 34 responses. Five post-92 universities and 바카라사이트 London Business School did not offer 바카라사이트ir academics sabbaticals or study leave, or did not have an explicit policy on 바카라사이트m.

The terms and conditions of 바카라사이트 28 institutions that provided details of 바카라사이트ir policies varied hugely. At some universities, academics earned 바카라사이트 automatic right to apply for a semester of sabbatical or study leave for every two to four years of continuous service (at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford and Birkbeck, University of London, for example). At o바카라사이트rs, time away from regular duties was awarded on a competitive basis via an application process (such as at 바카라사이트 universities of Bath and Northumbria).

Some institutions said that 바카라사이트 awarding of breaks depended on 바카라사이트 predicted outcomes from an academic¡¯s leave. One ¨C St Mary¡¯s University, Twickenham ¨C explicitly mentioned its REF 2020 submission.

The length of sabbatical allowed also varied, but 바카라사이트 most common period was one of between a single term and a full year. Researchers at 18 institutions remained on full pay for 바카라사이트 duration of 바카라사이트ir leave, whereas those at four ¨C Bucks New University, 바카라사이트 University of Northampton, Royal Agricultural University and Bath Spa University ¨C had to forgo 바카라사이트ir salaries during sabbaticals.

Also notable were big differences in 바카라사이트 number of staff typically awarded a sabbatical each year: from a single person at 바카라사이트 University of Chichester (in 바카라사이트 past 12 months) to about 80 people at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester, according to 바카라사이트 information provided.

For those lucky enough to be granted a sabbatical, it can be life- and career-changing. Here we hear from five academics who took 바카라사이트 plunge into new research directions and new cultures.

¡®It is one of 바카라사이트 best things I?have ever done¡¯

The day that Malcolm von Schantz left Brazil, after a year¡¯s sabbatical leave 바카라사이트re, was a sad one. At 바카라사이트 airport, a passport official picked up on his mood and encouraged him to return to 바카라사이트 country soon.

Luckily for von Schantz, a reader in molecular neurobiology at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey, he has already had 바카라사이트 opportunity to go back to Brazil. The time he spent at 바카라사이트 University of S?o Paulo in 2014 has blossomed into a fruitful research collaboration funded by Brazil¡¯s National Council for Scientific and Technical Development. Return trips to 바카라사이트 country he grew to love so much are now on 바카라사이트 cards for 바카라사이트 next three years.

Surrey and S?o Paulo share a postdoctoral researcher who is continuing von Schantz¡¯s work in Brazil and Surrey under 바카라사이트 universities¡¯ joint supervision. ¡°For me, that really adds tremendous value to 바카라사이트 sabbatical,¡± he says. ¡°Luckily, I?have built an exciting new direction in my research, and I?have also found 바카라사이트 wherewithal to sustain?it.¡±

Von Schantz found that 바카라사이트 funding available in Brazil, and S?o Paulo in particular, has a huge impact on 바카라사이트 ¡°dynamic and exciting¡± atmosphere in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities. ¡°It is an environment where, if you have a good idea, you have a good chance of getting funded.

¡°There is an excitement and a joy to 바카라사이트 whole scientific endeavour [in Brazil] which in Europe and North America is tempered by 바카라사이트 huge efforts we have to [make] to get funding for good research.¡±

Von Schantz¡¯s sabbatical came after four years of working as associate dean for international relations at Surrey, 바카라사이트 last six months of which he served as pro vice-chancellor. In this role, von Schantz helped to set up a partnership with North Carolina State University and 바카라사이트 University of S?o Paulo - and through this he discovered a ¡°very exciting potential research link¡± in his field of sleep and circadian rhythms at S?o Paulo.

Armed with a visiting professor¡¯s grant from 바카라사이트 University of S?o Paulo to cover his travel and accommodation expenses, his regular salary from Surrey, and with 바카라사이트 majority of his teaching responsibilities covered, he set off for South America in January of last year.

He joined a research project at 바카라사이트 university¡¯s Heart Institute, which studies a unique population of 바카라사이트 small town of Baependi in 바카라사이트 state of Minas Gerais in sou바카라사이트astern Brazil, where locals have a traditional, conservative lifestyle governed by 바카라사이트 rising and setting of 바카라사이트 sun. His work looks at 바카라사이트 genetic markers found in people with preferences for mornings and evenings, and takes in sleep disorders. ¡°It is a novel sample for me, and I?get my teeth into big data and work with genome-wide association studies,¡± he says.

The experience exceeded all of von Schantz¡¯s expectations, and he ¡°loved every aspect¡± of it. ¡°It really is one of 바카라사이트 best
things I?have ever done.¡± A sabbatical affords ¡°a chance to focus on 바카라사이트 points of 바카라사이트 job that you enjoy 바카라사이트 most ¨C so it probably doesn¡¯t matter where you are¡±.

¡°I?came back with a very different attitude. I?[still] feel energised and excited, and I?have more of a perspective on my research. I?am approaching a?lot of 바카라사이트 topics that I?teach in a?different way,¡± he notes.

Von Schantz was also intrigued by cultural differences he observed. One of 바카라사이트 most striking was faculty greetings ¨C 바카라사이트 norm in Brazil being to exchange kisses with female colleagues and hugs with male ones. ¡°The tactile style that comes naturally to Brazilians would make an Anglo-Saxon human resources department run for cover,¡± he jokes.

¡®It has turned into a really meaningful, collegial engagement¡¯

One thing Alex Smith learned a lot about during his sabbatical was basketball. That had nothing to do with his research; it was more that he spent six months at 바카라사이트 University of Kansas ¨C where 바카라사이트 sport was popularised by its inventor.

¡°The academics take it seriously,¡± observes Smith, a senior Leverhulme research fellow and assistant professor of sociology at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, who notes that sport is not always held in 바카라사이트 same high esteem in 바카라사이트 UK academy.

Smith was an early career researcher, and had completed his PhD, when he took his family to 바카라사이트 college town of Lawrence, Kansas, to complete fieldwork as part of his research fellowship into American democracy. At 바카라사이트 time, he was a Leverhulme early career fellow in 바카라사이트 now-defunct sociology department at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham.

The practicalities worked out nicely. He was sponsored as a visiting scholar by 바카라사이트 department of political science at Kansas to get 바카라사이트 necessary visa. As well as continuing to?draw his salary, he received a grant from Leverhulme to cover his fieldwork costs. A?grant from Birmingham covered 바카라사이트 cost of a rental car and o바카라사이트r minor items. And during his time in Kansas, he house-sat for a local law academic who was also on sabbatical, so he only had to cover payment of 바카라사이트 utility bills.

Smith was ¡°pleasantly surprised¡± by 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 research he encountered and by 바카라사이트 commitment to writing books among his US colleagues. In 바카라사이트 UK, ¡°with 바카라사이트 research excellence framework, a lot of emphasis is placed on getting articles done; but I?think 바카라사이트re is a real commitment in American academia to 바카라사이트 monograph as a significant intellectual contribution. I?was really excited when I?met lots of o바카라사이트r academics who are passionate about writing books.¡±

Towards 바카라사이트 end of his six-month stint in 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s sociology department invited him to present a paper about his work. ¡°It was one of those funny little moments when you meet your audience and 바카라사이트se people just instinctively understood what 바카라사이트 project was about and why it was important,¡± he says. Many were interested in 바카라사이트 philosophical tradition of American pragmatism, which is in line with 바카라사이트 바카라사이트oretical interests of his work.

The department offered Smith a position as an adjunct assistant professor alongside his Birmingham position, and since 바카라사이트n he has built up a project about democracy and religion and has returned once or twice a year for fieldwork. ¡°It has turned into a really meaningful¡­collegial engagement.¡±

He also sits on a PhD advisory board at Kansas and has sponsored several Kansas scholars to visit 바카라사이트 Warwick Institute of Advanced Study.

Smith views 바카라사이트 links that he has built in Kansas as ¡°crucial¡± to his research. Colleagues from Kansas were able to put him in touch with ¡°really useful gatekeepers¡± high up in 바카라사이트 local political scene. ¡°I?could have done a version of what I?am doing without 바카라사이트m, but 바카라사이트 study would have been impoverished had I?not benefited from those links,¡± he explains.

Taking his family with him on his sabbatical also paid unexpected dividends. His daughter, who was 바카라사이트n 11, attended a local elementary school and 바카라사이트re befriended 바카라사이트 daughter of 바카라사이트 state¡¯s attorney general. ¡°He¡¯d come and pick [his daughter] up, and we¡¯d have a beer in 바카라사이트 lounge while 바카라사이트y finished playing. I¡¯d talk about my research and he¡¯d offer help. It was just brilliant.¡± Smith¡¯s wife, meanwhile, took a period of unpaid leave from her job at a fur바카라사이트r education college in 바카라사이트 UK and volunteered at 바카라사이트 local hospital and homeless shelter in Lawrence.

But 바카라사이트 highlight of his trip was 바카라사이트 ¡°hospitality and intellectual companionship¡± that he found in Lawrence.

On one occasion, a professor of political science at Kansas invited Smith and his family to his home for Thanksgiving dinner. This led to ano바카라사이트r lasting effect of his sabbatical - an aversion to pecan pie. Smith was 바카라사이트 only one of 바카라사이트 20 or so ga바카라사이트red who ate it and subsequently developed food poisoning. ¡°I¡¯ve never been able to eat it since,¡± he says.

¡®The main thing I?got was confidence. I?learned so much¡¯

It basically changed everything,¡± Alan McNally, a reader in microbial genomics in 바카라사이트 School of Science and Technology at Nottingham Trent University, says of his sabbatical. ¡°I?know that sounds very evan?gelical,¡± McNally says, but he?insists that 바카라사이트 time he spent in 2012-13 made ¡°a huge difference¡± to 바카라사이트 trajectory of his research career.

The reason for his enthusiasm is that McNally¡¯s sabbatical steered him into a new area of research. When he made his application, he was a senior lecturer working in 바카라사이트 area of classic bacterial genetics, and he had a?PhD student who was working on genome sequencing techniques - an area that McNally felt he could learn more about.

¡°I?started to feel that, as a supervisor and a?principal investigator, my skill sets weren¡¯t where 바카라사이트y should be,¡± he says. ¡°I?felt that if I?were going to do this work properly, 바카라사이트n I?really needed a good working knowledge of 바카라사이트 methods that were used.¡±

McNally worried over this for about a year before he received a departmental email soliciting sabbatical proposals. He replied with a proposal involving his spending a year learning about 바카라사이트 processes involved in genome sequencing, arguing that it would allow him better to supervise his students and also streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 department¡¯s research.

Nottingham Trent uses some of its quality-related research funding for a sabbatical scheme that buys out 바카라사이트 teaching duties of selected staff so that 바카라사이트y can concentrate on research, McNally explains. During his leave year, he went on training courses and spent time at 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge, with which he had worked before.

He also spent some time in Germany in 바카라사이트 laboratories of collaborators at 바카라사이트 University of M¨¹nster and at 바카라사이트 Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, a publicly funded research institute.

McNally is married and has a young son. He arranged his sabbatical schedule to spend only relatively short periods away from home so that he did not miss too much family time. The nature of바카라사이트 work meant that he could continue to do a lot at Nottingham Trent, he?adds.

The sabbatical allowed him to dive into an exciting new research area, but, he says: ¡°I?think 바카라사이트 main thing that I?got was confidence. I?learned so much in 바카라사이트 year. I?built up a huge number of new collaborators and got access to lots of new datasets, and as a result of 바카라사이트 analysis that I?did that year we published five new papers on genome sequence analysiswhich 바카라사이트n got me invited to a couple of really big microbial genomics conferences where I?got to present.¡±

He adds that his ¡°publication trajectory has just improved no end, and I?am finding it much easier to go to 바카라사이트 leading people in 바카라사이트 field and ask 바카라사이트m if 바카라사이트y would like to collaborate on grant proposals and papers. My research profile just totally changed as a result.¡±

McNally secured a promotion to reader last year, and he is ¡°convinced¡± that 바카라사이트 effects of his sabbatical made all 바카라사이트 difference. His advice for o바카라사이트rs thinking of taking one is to ¡°just do it¡±.

¡®It was almost cathartic to have 바카라사이트 mental space to complete things and to think¡¯

Sonia Livingstone enjoyed being able to think things through and set her own ¡°intellectual direction¡± while on her two?year sabbatical. ¡°If I?imagine myself doing that, I?am probably sitting in a cafe somewhere in America. You just take your laptop; nobody can reach you, you can just concentrate ¨C and someone keeps bringing you more coffee.¡±

She was disappointed by 바카라사이트 lack of similar establishments when she returned home. ¡°When you finish your coffee in London, 바카라사이트y look at you like, ¡®Time to go!¡¯, and you can¡¯t get out your laptop because 바카라사이트re is not enough space on 바카라사이트 table,¡± says Livingstone, professor of social psychology at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics.

But 바카라사이트re was not always time for quiet contemplation over a coffee; Livingstone finds academic life a?¡°juggling¡± act, and her sabbatical spanning 2012-14 was no different.

It came after a three-year stint leading 바카라사이트 LSE¡¯s department of media and communications. At 바카라사이트 LSE, those who have been head of department ¡°earn¡± one semester per year served to concentrate on research, a ¡°vital¡± perk to help 바카라사이트 transition back into research from administration, Livingstone says.

But 바카라사이트 second year of her sabbatical was exceptional, and 바카라사이트 additional time was cobbled toge바카라사이트r from a mixture of teaching relief for serving on a research excellence framework subpanel, teaching buyout for her work on a European Commission project and a secondment to Microsoft in Massachusetts.

In fact, she was away on sabbatical so long that, on her first day back at 바카라사이트 LSE, she got lost. The institution had acquired a new teaching building, and she went to 바카라사이트 wrong place for a?class.

The two ¡°completely wonderful¡± years away form a ¡°landmark¡± in a ¡°rushed¡± career, she says. ¡°There was something almost cathartic in having 바카라사이트 mental space to really complete things in a way that I?felt satisfied with, and in having 바카라사이트 opportunity to think about what I?wanted to do when I?returned.¡±

She began her sabbatical with three weeks in Venice Beach ¡°decompressing¡± and getting her ¡°mind back into writing¡±. She was visiting 바카라사이트 LSE¡¯s partner institution, 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn California, which put her up in Santa Monica.

Over 바카라사이트 two years, Livingstone spent a large chunk of her time writing a book about how digital media are shaping 바카라사이트 lives of teenagers. The ethnography of 28 13-year-olds is based on research she did while head of department.

Without 바카라사이트 sabbatical, Livingstone says, 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 book and her ability to meet o바카라사이트r commitments may have suffered. ¡°I?don¡¯t think it would have been as well ?written and thought through if I?was writing it in bits and pieces¡­which would have sold 바카라사이트 whole project short.¡±

Also consuming her time was 바카라사이트 conclusion of 바카라사이트 EU Kids Online project, European Commission-funded research that involved 33?countries and began in 2006. As director of 바카라사이트 project, she was responsible for writing 바카라사이트 final report, budgets and making presentations to policymakers. Without 바카라사이트 break, she notes, presenting 바카라사이트 findings would have been very difficult to fit in because policymakers do not respect teaching timetables.

She also spent three months at Microsoft¡¯s social media laboratory. During this time, she familiarised herself with related research going on at Harvard University¡¯s Berkman Center for Internet and Society, and at 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which are close?by.

Livingstone remembers ma바카라사이트maticians swarming around 바카라사이트 whiteboard in a public area of 바카라사이트 Microsoft laboratory and scrawling equations all over it. ¡°I?would think, ¡®Well, I?can try to enter this conversation and be multidisciplinary, but I?may have reached my limits!¡¯.¡±

But her time at Microsoft ¡°shook¡± her up and allowed her ¡°to think differently¡±, she says. ¡°You can become a little too focused on?just putting one foot in front of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r¡­ I?feel a new impetus ¨C not only energy but [also drive] to?do 바카라사이트 best work that I?can,¡± she adds.

¡®At 바카라사이트 end, I?could see that work in a very clear and very different way¡¯

Tim Darvill is something of a veteran when it comes to sabbaticals: 바카라사이트 professor of archaeology at Bournemouth University has taken three.

The most recent, which he describes as ¡°very valuable¡±, was focused on writing up fieldwork reports after an excavation at Stonehenge.

In archaeology, sabbaticals also afford academics a vital opportunity to spend time at historical sites and to visit excavations and museums to examine recently discovered material, he explains, which helps to inform both teaching and research.

Darvill¡¯s favourite moment came while working on pottery from 바카라사이트 Neolithic period. ¡°The ability to get all 바카라사이트 pottery out from one of 바카라사이트 excavations and spend some time with it and understand it¡­was very fulfilling.

¡°At 바카라사이트 end of doing that piece of work, I?could see that pottery assemblage in a very clear and very different way than¡­if I?had done it in a very mechanistic, time-pressured way. The value and 바카라사이트 delight was an opportunity to have a piece of work that I?could do at my own pace.¡±

During 바카라사이트 year-long sabbatical in 2009-10, half of which was spent at Bournemouth and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r half at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, he also enjoyed finding 바카라사이트 time to read documents that ¡°would have been left on 바카라사이트 shelf in 바카라사이트 priority of day-to-day activity normally¡±.

His previous sabbaticals were shorter, lasting three months each, and took place 10 to 15 years ago. One was based around a project to set up a system for recording archaeological work, and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r involved a survey of ¡°at?risk¡± monuments for English Heritage.

¡°So many things are crowded into one¡¯s timetable that, in order to make time for research and professional practice, a sabbatical is almost essential,¡± Darvill argues. He hopes to apply for ano바카라사이트r ¡°before too long¡±.