Academic work from the perspectives of aspiring academics: a study of doctoral candidates and recent graduates

Several studies have highlighted the changing nature and forms of work in the academic profession, but few have examined the perspectives of aspiring academics who may contribute to shaping the future academic profession. What types of activities do aspiring academics consider academic work, and what are the implications for academic training and the future of the academic profession? This paper addresses these questions by drawing on qualitative interviews with a group of doctoral candidates and recent doctoral candidates at a research-intensive university in Australia. Building on Ernst Boyer's scholarship typology, the paper proposes a conceptualisation of academic work domains based on how the outcomes of intellectual inquiry can be communicated. Conceptualising academic work from a communication perspective allows for a language to speak of and recognise the diversity of academic work. The paper also raises questions about how doctoral training could prepare aspiring academics for work areas beyond research, particularly engagement, and how institutional structure could accommodate and recognise this diversity.