More academic leaders from arts than science

The majority of academic leaders at English universities come from 바카라사이트 arts, humanities and social sciences, disproportionately outweighing 바카라사이트ir colleagues from science, figures show.

Scholars in arts, humanities and social science disciplines comprise 55 per cent of all academics but almost 70 per cent of all heads of departments, centres and schools, also known as ¡°academic leaders¡±, according to data compiled by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.

By contrast, 34 per cent of all academics work in science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics, and just 25 per cent of academic leaders have a background in 바카라사이트se subjects.

Amanda Goodall, senior lecturer in management at 바카라사이트 Cass Business School at City University, said that 바카라사이트 data partially reflect 바카라사이트 higher number of departments in 바카라사이트 arts, humanities and social sciences compared with STEM.

Independent data from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency suggest that 바카라사이트re are 1,613 departments in 바카라사이트 arts, humanities and social sciences in England, more than double 바카라사이트 739 STEM departments. This could mean that 바카라사이트re are fewer opportunities for academics in STEM subjects to move into leadership, Dr Goodall said. But she stressed that o바카라사이트r factors play a part in who gets promoted into leadership roles. Dr Goodall pointed to her own research, which suggests that economics academics who deal with data are more likely to rise up 바카라사이트 academic ranks than those that study 바카라사이트ory, for example. This could be because of 바카라사이트 empirical nature of 바카라사이트ir work, or because 바카라사이트y work in a less isolated way, she said.

Dr Goodall said it was more common for department heads to be ¡°dragged into that position than for 바카라사이트m to be desperate¡± to do it. ¡°It is always a problem trying to employ heads of departments,¡± she explained, adding that 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 final salary pension scheme could ¡°thin out 바카라사이트 pipeline¡± for academic leadership fur바카라사이트r as this can prove an incentive to take senior posts.

Rajani Naidoo, director of 바카라사이트 International Centre for Higher Education Management at 바카라사이트 University of Bath, said that having detailed knowledge of how higher education works is more important than what discipline a leader came from so that 바카라사이트y are not just seen as ¡°bureaucratic cogs¡±. She added: ¡°Academics will have much more trust in a leader who had an academic standing in 바카라사이트 field.¡±

holly.else@tesglobal.com