Often, a teaching job at a university might look very desirable, especially in the current climate of economic uncertainty. University professors seem as if they have a very relaxing line of work, where the years on the job can simply pass by. During that time, they are expected to firstly teach pupils and they later grade them, while they also immerse themselves in some scientific or academic field of research. Looking from an outside perspective, this looks very fulfilling and low on stress, especially when it is considered that the same professionals have a lot of free time during the summer months.
But, this notion might be deceiving. There are several important issues in the regular work of any university professor which actually point out that this career choice can be surprisingly hard for a person. Here are the top problems which occur during a professional life in this line of work.
Peer Reviews
Career advancement possibilities of a university professor are mostly governed by super professors review produced by her or his peers. This is also true for grant applications, submission of results from research to a publication or reviewing tenure. This means that in every career step of university professors, someone is watching and passing judgment. Unlike the regular workspace, this is not a single delegated boss or a similar figure. Instead, these reviews are generated by a large group of people who remain anonymous. The idea of constant oversight often produces a lot of anxiety and worry for anyone working as a university professor.
Less Funding Possibilities
In any scientific field, the necessity for research is constant. Without it, the same field would be unable to grow and develop, but at the same time, the professionals working inside of it would have the same problem. In recent years, thanks to the economic hardships on a global level, these sources of funding are dwindling for many universities. Because of this, professors need to look for sponsorships and funding options, while the results remain questionable. This feeling is guaranteed to produce stress in those professionals who are desperate to begin their research programs.
Rise of Online Courses
The emergence of online university courses is causing worry for many university professors. This comes from the notion that with an online, digitalized curriculum, the need for full-time university professors will begin to diminish. It also means that more and more students will choose to stay home and receive their diplomas from online courses. With lowering numbers of attending students, any professor is probably thinking about the impact of this fact on their future career possibilities. While online university will always need good professors, they will definitely employ less of them.
Because of these facts, there is no doubt that many professors working at universities are feeling the pressure of their line of work.