Files and links (1)
CC BY-NC V4.0, Open Access
Report
Supporting careers, strengthening institutions: A framework for understanding the careers of university professional staff
Edith Cowan University
09/2025
Abstract
In recent decades, universities have undergone profound transformations shaped by globalisation, digital disruption, new accountability regimes, and shifting societal expectations. While considerable scholarly and public attention has focused on academic staff within these institutions, far less has been devoted to understanding the evolving roles and contributions of professional staff. This report addresses that gap by bringing much-needed visibility to the increasingly complex, strategic, and professionalised work undertaken by professional services staff in higher education. This report foregrounds the career trajectories and aspirations of university professional staff. It sheds light on the opportunities and constraints that shape their advancement. By tracing what these staff value such as security, mobility, autonomy and values alignment, and how manage they manage their complex needs, the report reveals the systemic conditions that enable, or inhibit, their careers. This report builds on work undertaken for my PhD study and I am deeply grateful to all the participants that contributed their insights. I hope this report will help universities to better understand and support the career development of their professional staff workforce. Investing in their careers is not only a matter of equity and recognition, but also essential to institutional resilience, innovation, and long-term success. As higher education continues to evolve, professional staff must be recognised not just as enablers of academic work, but as professionals in their own right, with distinct careers, ambitions, motivations and contributions.
Details
- Title
- Supporting careers, strengthening institutions: A framework for understanding the careers of university professional staff
- Authors/Creators
- Michelle Gander - Murdoch University, Murdoch Business School
- Publisher
- Edith Cowan University
- Number of pages
- 25
- Identifiers
- 991005863193707891
- Copyright
- © by Michelle Gander
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Murdoch Business School
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Report
Metrics
3 File views/ downloads
2 Record Views