Academic identities in contemporary higher education: sustaining identities that value teaching

This paper investigates how academics in the current global higher education system – which often prioritises metrics of research activity and income generation over rich conceptualisation of transformative teaching – can sustain identities that encompass deep care for teaching. This is a significant area that has been little researched, particularly with experienced academics in mainstream roles in research-intensive universities. A thematic narrative analysis of interviews with experienced academics illustrated important ways in which it can be possible to maintain identities that encompassed deep care for teaching. The ways in which narrative processes are significant for identity development are drawn out. The tensions and synergies between different facets of participants’ identities were shown to be important. Implications for policy makers and institutions, as to how identities focused on transformative teaching can be prioritised, are explored in relation to the policies and reflexive processes which would be required.