Academic careers in Europe: a nested view

Abstract

This chapter provides an overall framework for studying and analysing the introduction of tenure track systems to career frameworks and institutional models in Europe. The chapter discusses developments in higher education that have a direct or indirect influence on academic work and employment in general. It identifies development trends related to higher-education policy (exogenous drivers) and academic work (endogenous drivers) that shape the landscape of academic careers. In addition, it discusses academic and professional practices related to the changing of academic work. Based on this analysis, the chapter provides analytical perspectives from which to address these trends at the individual, organisational and national (regional) levels. It concludes by deriving the basic implications of this structured, nested view of the tenure track.