Abstract

LOPEZ DAMIAN, Ariadna Isabel et al. Part-time faculty in public universities: An unfinished process of professionalization. Rev. educ. sup [online]. 2016, vol.45, n.180, pp.23-39. ISSN 0185-2760.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resu.2016.06.007.

The study explores the academic profession by analyzing the experiences of part-time faculty in three public universities in Mexico. We used 56 semi-structured interviews to understand the perspectives of part-time faculty toward their forms of participation in the workplace. This study derives from a larger project aimed at understanding the context, activities and interactions in which faculty engage as part of their profession. We found three profiles that characterize part-time faculty's participation at the university. The definition of the profiles is based on the relationships among: 1) their occupational status; 2) the activities faculty perform at the university; and 3) their professional aspirations and plans within the university.

Keywords : Academic profession; Faculty; Academic practices; Part-time faculty; Public universities.