Invisible imposter: identity in institutions

ABSTRACT

This paper considers third space professional staff and invisibility within institutions and the possibility of imposter syndrome. The binary profession perspective of individual institutions is compounded by the sector itself, which fails to recognise the unique identity of the third space professional in higher education, impeding career progression through an unnecessarily rigid adherence to an overly traditional approach to describing requirements for more senior roles in institutions. What might be done?

KEYWORDS:

• Higher education
• third space
• invisible
• identity

Disclosure statement

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

Notes on contributor

Katie Akerman is Director of Quality and Standards at the University of Chichester. She has been a member of the AUA since 2000 and has held Fellowship since 2010. Katie has worked at pre and post 92 institutions, Australian and British universities, and for the Quality Assurance Agency.