Academic professionals are professional individuals who are hired by an educational institute, university, or college to perform a wide range of duties. They are assigned different titles like Director, Co-ordinator, Dean, etc. Their duties vary according to the title assigned and the department they are handling. Their general academic professional responsibilities include teaching, counseling students, management, administration, development, research, etc., to name a few.
Key Academic Professional Responsibilities
Academic professionals generally work for a specified period of time; however, their contracts may be renewed. They enjoy the same facilities and privileges as that of the non-tenured faculty academics. They perform high level responsibilities which are as under:
They are responsible for ensuring that students, faculty, and staff members as well as they themselves abide by discipline, ethical principles, and professional code of conduct. They may also be involved in maintaining different statistical data related to educational requirements like admission, fees, etc. They constantly review and prepare the relevant reports. They may be involved in research activities as well and help in creating innovative instructional methods to simplify and help better understanding of the relevant subject matter. They ensure that all the facilities and materials are allocated to the students and staff members keeping in mind the budget assigned. They assist in designing the course curriculum and ensure that a friendly congenial work atmosphere is maintained. They are also responsible for ensuring that the staff members receive an equitable compensation based on their performances. They play an active role in raising the funds and make sure that they present the grants for seeking the approvals.
Essential Skills
Being in the academic field, they should have a passion for teaching. They should have a good business acumen to develop and implement the current educational needs that will attract new students to join the university. Another key factor is strong communication skills to be able to manage and deal with a diverse range of people with excellent supervisory skills. Should be able to mentor the students and guide them by resolving their issues. Should be able to develop and implement new ideas that will help in achieving the objective of the organization. Should possess excellent supervisory skills and lead a team of students and staff members.
Educational Requirements
The responsibilities of an academic professional are mostly related to teaching, management, administration, and human resource. Hence, a master's degree or doctoral degree in the relevant field like business administration or management would prove to be beneficial.
Work Hours
The work hours normally fall in the range of thirty five to forty five hours per week. During seminars and meetings, the academic professionals may need to extend their work hours. They may need to travel at times.
Salary Details
The salary varies depending on the relevant experience in handling the academic duties, educational background, and skills. A better experienced person will definitely get a lucrative salary package.
Career Prospects
The career prospects are really bright for those aspiring to make a career in the field of education.
Thus, to ensure success as an academic professional, academic professional responsibilities need to be carried out effectively and efficiently.