Author Identifier (ORCID)
Michelle Gander: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4257-7935
Abstract
In recent decades, universities have undergone profound transformations shaped by globalisation, digital disruption, new accountability regimes, and shifting societal expectations. While considerable scholarly and public attention has focused on academic staff within these institutions, far less has been devoted to understanding the evolving roles and contributions of professional staff. This report addresses that gap by bringing much-needed visibility to the increasingly complex, strategic, and professionalised work undertaken by professional services staff in higher education. This report foregrounds the career trajectories and aspirations of university professional staff. It sheds light on the opportunities and constraints that shape their advancement. By tracing what these staff value such as security, mobility, autonomy and values alignment, and how manage they manage their complex needs, the report reveals the systemic conditions that enable, or inhibit, their careers. Investing in careers is not only a matter of equity and recognition, but also essential to institutional resilience, innovation, and long-term success. As higher education continues to evolve, professional staff must be recognised not just as enablers of academic work, but as professionals in their own right, with distinct careers, ambitions, motivations and contributions.
Document Type
Report
Date of Publication
2025
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
School
School of Business and Law
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Comments
Gander, M. (2025). Supporting careers, strengthening institutions: A framework for understanding the careers of university professional staff. Edith Cowan University. https://doi.org/10.25958/ff67-2d41