Academics’ Professional Characteristics and Trajectories: The Portuguese Case

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to present a descriptive and interpretative approach on the changing personal (gender, citizenship, parents’ education) and professional characteristics (work performed, employment status), and trajectories of Portuguese academics. This approach is contextualised in the changes that have emerged in the Portuguese higher education system and institutions since the 1974 democratic revolution. Based on data analysis from the international Changing Academic Profession (CAP) survey, the chapter tries to address a set of issues related to some social characteristics of academics, as well as to their career trajectories, sense of commitment/affiliation and perceptions of scholarship and time devoted to teaching and research.