Career success, collegiality, and the intentions of early career academics to stay in the academic profession

ABSTRACT

This article examines the relationship between the career success of early career academics (ECAs), collegiality, and their intentions to stay in the academic profession. Two different surveys were developed and administered to ECAs (n=68) and other academics (n=219) from a public university in South Africa. The data were analysed using bivariate correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The results revealed that career success factors that include career advising (research and teaching and learning), learning and development, rewards and recognition, and socialisation strengthen the intentions of ECAs to stay in the academic profession. Additionally, collegiality demonstrated a strong moderation effect on the relationship between career advising on research, teaching and learning and the intentions of ECAs to stay in the academic profession. The article further discusses the implications of the results in relation to how career success and collegiality reinforce the intentions of ECAs to stay in the academic profession.

KEYWORDS:

• Early career academics
• higher education
• career construction theory
• objective career success
• subjective career success
• intention to stay

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

In relation to funding, this research is funded by the University of the Free State under the Institutional Transformation Project. The research is registered under the sub-project: Exploring institutional culture at the University of the Free State with ethical clearance number: UFS-HSD2019/0340/0905.