Hacking Academia
An ever-growing series of tutorials (with detailed notes) filled with practical, experience-driven tips and tricks for being effective, happy and successful in modern day academia and related careers.
Hacking Academia
The Australian Research Ecosystem Reality Risk and Reform
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ: ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ค ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ
The Australian Research Ecosystem is the subject of at least two major reviews, that could result in the biggest change to how things like grants are assessed and enacted.
In my opinion, there are a handful of super important concepts that should shape this review. Some can't be said "officially". That's what this video is about, these key issues!
๐ My sector health check indicator: the likelihood that a talented, driven and hard working early career individual will make it: not guaranteed, and not even super high, but high enough that people feel like they have a real chance. Also relevant to grant funding scheme acceptance rates.
๐ How tightly squeezed the sector is - very few if any "freeloaders". Almost everyone is working hard, hustling hard, and periodically or always stressed by their prospects. Any reform should not revolve around further squeezing!
๐ฐ๏ธ The impossibility of performing at a world class research level in academia whilst teaching, doing service, and all within a theoretical working week's formal hours. At least for the vast majority of people, and especially for those doing things like trying to raise a young family and be a present parent. And how this is both a problem and not a problem: many researchers love their job and happily do research outside of normal hours, but at the same time this is in tension with the much-needed moves to formalize workloads and protect workers...
๐ค Disagreement and confusion over the role and responsibilities of universities, and of research bodies. As represented by examples like the angst over Associate Professors getting DECRA fellowships - the appropriateness of which really depends on what you think these fellowships are for.
๐ฏ How implicit and explicit optimization (and some gaming) will result from any reform - so reform that is aware of how this will unfold, and minimizes vulnerability to egregious gaming, is important.
๐ฒ High risk fundamental research and "having your cake and eating it too". High risk research is essential, and whilst it will always generate some sort of output, in many cases it will largely be a bust. For the aggregate system, this isn't a problem. But how we treat, assess and support the individual, given volatility of outcome, is challenging and vital.
๐ฑ Decoupling being research-active with research KPIs and performance. Academics should at least dabble in a little (cheap) research for interest and to inform teaching, but their enthusiasm is often killed by unreachable KPIs. I think there's a viable system where most at least dabble and remain enthused about research.
๐ฅ๏ธ YouTube: https://lnkd.in/dB3rpyef
DISCLAIMER: the views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.