I think it is quite difficult to balance when there is no general guideline in this sense. When you look across the different countries and/or different disciplines there is a clear difference. I want to open this question because I find difficult to find the equilibrium and also I want to see how it works in every country.
My first question is ... What standard does the department propose as a required balance? The answer here, as you may discover, is as different as the number of departments in the world and number of faculty ranks in them.
My second question is ... What standard do you want to set for yourself as a desired balance? This is your personal preference. The return is what you reap from that balance of effort coupled with what your department or college provides as commendations or demotions for your effort.
My third question is ... What are your abilities to do the work that is needed? Some example questions here are ... Ae you more skilled at research than teaching; Do you find yourself slipping in to committee administrative roles more easily than mentoring students; Do you struggle to put together coherent research proposals for funding?
In short ... What defines a good balance is mostly up to you; the rewards you must keep in to mind are your own personal well-being, career advancement, and professional recognition; and the effort that you have to spend depends on your own aptitudes and abilities.
I think it depends on the status of the university/institution it self. If the institution is a research university, the balance can go 70% for research and community services and the balance for teaching. If the institution is a teaching university, the reverse applies. Universities should strive for the research status and so do their staff.
Sometimes, It doesn't depend of the profesor o lecturer. The university can ask you for a minimum hours of teaching depending of your category or level. Conacyt (the national council of research and technology of Mexico)ask if you are member of the National system of researcher(SNI) ask you a minimum 20 h per week for research. In my case my oficial time load by week is: 20 hour for research, 11 hour for teaching, 5 hours for student tutorial and 4 hours for management. Probably my workload is not the most common in Mexico, because I am a member of SNI in a university and not in a research center.
At our university (BITS-Pilani, India) we have given the choice for the extent of contribution amongst Teaching, Research and Institutional work (management). So one can opt based on his/her interest like 60-20-20, 40-40-20 etc. In my personal opinion one should focus more on his research > teaching > management. As research is the one that gives you higher recognition than anything else.
Having done it all (teaching ,research ,administration -Head and Rector) I say
T/R/A 35/50/15%
All of these are important. To become a profesor you must good inteaching, good in research and experiance in administration. But be careful when all of your student get "A" from your exam paper. There is something wrong with you. If you are teaching at school level may be you are a good teacher. But if you at the university level , you better to watch out.
Maybe we should ask ourselves first, what is defined as a professor that is globally accepted. When I was way much younger, a Prof to me is always related to his/her knowledge and their contributions through that knowledge. To be involved in management, it needs a set of special skills called wisdom and leadership. Not all Profs have that. Of course, teaching is compulsary for academicians. So, there might just not be a specific rule for their roles. Better to play it based on individual capabilities.
Dear Ahmed, a person with such a quality in research and academics wont lack the wisdom and leadership required in managerial position. If we are talking about assuming academic positions (headship, deanship, director, vice president, president, rector, etc) of the university as the managerial duty, there is no as such clear boundary among these three in a University.
My first question is ... What standard does the department propose as a required balance? The answer here, as you may discover, is as different as the number of departments in the world and number of faculty ranks in them.
My second question is ... What standard do you want to set for yourself as a desired balance? This is your personal preference. The return is what you reap from that balance of effort coupled with what your department or college provides as commendations or demotions for your effort.
My third question is ... What are your abilities to do the work that is needed? Some example questions here are ... Ae you more skilled at research than teaching; Do you find yourself slipping in to committee administrative roles more easily than mentoring students; Do you struggle to put together coherent research proposals for funding?
In short ... What defines a good balance is mostly up to you; the rewards you must keep in to mind are your own personal well-being, career advancement, and professional recognition; and the effort that you have to spend depends on your own aptitudes and abilities.
As an academic administrator, I can advise a few things:
1. Make sure that your STRONGEST skill is well above the departmental expectations. So if you are expected to publish two papers, produce 5, for instance.
2. Make sure that your WEAKEST skill meets at least the departmental expectations. Also demonstrate and provide solid evidence that you are striving to get better in this area.
3. Choose your service activities wisely. Volunteer for highest impact and/or visibility assignments.
4. Submit your paperwork, such as annual reports, assessment data, etc., BEFORE they are due.
5. Make sure that you have 2-4 activities(paper, project, big service assignment, etc.) going on at the same time. Make a habit of bringing activities to full closure before starting the next one (unless you have to). People who take on assignments but cannot finish them successfully create headaches for administrators.
I hope these help. Best of luck.
Dear Ali, Great to have your experience. Could you elaborate more in how you come up to this proportion? I hope my question is clear based on the context of this discussion. Besides, what is your reference when you say 'best'?
Teaching, and research are most important. .But we also should not forget the importance of practical application of scientific research through projects and addressing the specific industrial problems. That is what enhances the lectures and makes them more suitable. Management is a matter of personal preferences
Would you please define "Balance" first? Unless we determine what balance is, how would anyone be able to pontificate as to what "Balance" would be for a professional, let alone a University Professor? People keep saying they need to balance life and work. So how does one know whether they have hit the mark of balance? Any thoughts?
Please do not mistake my first reply and I eagerly look forward to your response so that I can respond by providing my insights to it.
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