Study title

This data comprise a longitudinal qualitative phase (2017/18 and 2019/20). Participants were asked about their career trajectory, current job and future plans. The researchers undertook in the first stage at least eight in-depth interviews with academic and professional staff at different levels of seniority and across different disciplines in each case institution (eight institutions in total), to a total of 69 in-depth interviews in 2017 and early 2018 (labelled 2017). The second stage in 2019 and early 2020 (labelled 2019) involved 42 interviews.

This longitudinal project involved eight universities in the four UK nations: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; five in England and one in each of the other three countries. It comprised a longitudinal qualitative phase (2017 and 2019), and a quantitative phase (2017/2018). The latter was carried out by means of an academic staff survey across 5 of the 8 participating institutions in the qualitative component of the study. The researchers undertook at least eight in-depth interviews with academic staff at different levels of seniority and across different disciplines in each case institution – a total of 69 in-depth interviews in 2017/18 (labelled 2017). The second stage in 2019/20 (labelled 2019) involved 42 interviews. The project investigated the implications of a diversifying workforce in British higher education, in relation to changing roles and career pathways, and a blurring of boundaries not only between disciplines, but also between academic work and activities that academic staff may undertake outside the university.