As higher education faces new expectations and evolving societal roles, a growing conversation is unfolding across Europe about how academic careers are shaped, assessed, and supported. One key voice in this transformation is the European University Association (EUA), who has been working on the recognition and rewards issue for academic careers. This brought timely attention to the importance of valuing all dimensions of academic work and not just research outputs.
At MapEEC (Mapping Engaged Educator Career Pathways), we see this as a vital opportunity to align with, and contribute to, broader efforts like the EUA’s. Our Erasmus+ cooperation partnership is focused on a specific, often under-recognised area of academic contribution: the work of engaged educators who connect classrooms with communities, lead pedagogical innovation, and collaborate across sectors to generate real-world impact.
The EUA panel—featuring Gundars Bērziņš (Rector, University of Latvia and FORTHEM Alliance), Finn-Eirik Johansen (University of Oslo, Norway), and Manuela Raith (Vice-Rector of University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna & Vice-Rector of Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria)—offered timely and thought-provoking insights.
Several themes from the panel resonate deeply with our work at MapEEC:
- The need to recognise the full spectrum of academic contributions, from research and teaching to innovation and civic engagement
- The importance of mentorship, collegiality, and belonging in supporting early-career academics
- A call to reform outdated assessment systems that still rely too heavily on narrow publication metrics
These insights echo the core goals of MapEEC. Through tools like our Engaged Educator Matrix and tailored Strategic Roadmaps for institutions, we will help universities take concrete steps toward making engagement a more visible, valued, and supported part of academic life.
While the EUA’s task-and-finish group prepares to publish its report for May 2025, projects like MapEEC are already exploring how to implement change on the ground. We believe that systemic reform depends not only on high-level frameworks but also on practical experimentation at the institutional level.
Like the EUA, we envision a higher education ecosystem that is more inclusive, flexible, and responsive. One where educators are empowered to develop their careers across diverse pathways, and where teaching and societal engagement are recognised as central pillars of academic excellence.
By contributing our perspective to this broader conversation, we aim to support educators and institutions that are ready to lead by example and to help build a future in which engaged educators are not just acknowledged but rather celebrated.
Author: Luca Barbera