Exploring perceptions of academic management roles in the undergraduate student experience

Abstract

This article explores key roles and responsibilities undertaken by academics working in the UK higher education in relation to the student experience. Based on a case study of a large, modern university, we explore perceptions of three management roles that academics perform alongside their academic duties; namely programme leader, year tutor and personal tutor. Drawing on Brookfield’s (1995) four-lens framework, these roles are examined from multiple actors’ perspectives: students, peers, educational researchers, and autobiographical experiences. This study makes an important theoretical contribution by applying Brookfield’s four-lens framework not previously used in researching academic life, whilst empirically it offers insights into how each management role is enacted, and related to various aspects of the student experience. These unique theoretical and empirical insights have implications for enhancing the student experience and support academics into the enactment of management roles.