Higher education lecturers are employed by universities to teach specialized topics and do research in those fields.
What is the role of a lecturer in higher education? | Starting salary | Common employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills
University students get instruction that is both planned for and delivered by lecturers in their respective fields of expertise. In addition to this, you will be responsible for the development of instructional materials, the preparation of tutorials and seminars, and the grading of student work. In addition to this, they do study on the topic at hand, share what they learn by going to conferences and publishing papers, books, and other resources. Administrators of higher education provide assistance for them, and they collaborate with other members of the university staff, such as librarians, to ensure that students have access to the resources they need to succeed in their studies.
Typical tasks consist of the following:
planning instruction, which may include lectures, seminars, or tutorials, as well as the preparation of learning materials
meeting with each kid alone to review their progress
looking over and evaluating the work of the pupils
research being conducted
conducting interviews with prospective college students
doing administrative tasks, such as going to faculty meetings and drafting reports, among other things
composing research proposals, academic articles, and other types of publications
overseeing research staff and students working on their PhDs
controlling spending plans for research
putting together grant applications for research initiatives within the department
There is a lot of competition for senior posts, and it is anticipated of professors that they will publish their research in order to further their careers. Because the academic sector is somewhat compact, building professional connections is sometimes necessary to learn about available job openings.
Starting salaries
The salary range for newly hired academics is between £35,000 and $40,000. Each year, trade unions in the higher education industry are responsible for negotiating salaries throughout the sector. It is usual for teachers to shift between schools in order to acquire experience and networks, which is an important fact to keep in mind since many lecturers are engaged on fixed-term contracts.
Employers often found in the field of higher education instructors
Universities.
Establishments dedicated to furthering one's education.
On the websites of universities, on the employment sites of major newspapers, and on specialized sites like jobs.ac.uk and Times Higher Education, lecturing positions that are open for applications may be found.
Qualifications and experience are expected of applicants.
The post of a lecturer in higher education is not one that is traditionally filled by recent graduates since, in order to be hired, you would typically need a master's degree or a doctorate (in addition to a track record of published research). An other option is to get experience in a particular industry or profession.
It is not necessary to have a degree in education in order to work as a lecturer in higher education; nevertheless, several colleges and universities require their professors to have finished a postgraduate certificate program in higher education. In addition, while you are earning your PhD, you will have the opportunity to get experience in the classroom by working as a graduate teaching assistant, for example.
Learn more about the many training opportunities available to teach in further and higher education.
Competencies necessary for instructors in higher education
an awareness of, as well as an interest in, the ways in which adults acquire knowledge.
Expertise in a certain topic area or areas.
Excellent presenting abilities.
Excellent ability in doing research.
abilities in both verbal and written communication.
Powerful relationship-building abilities, which are necessary for creating networks.