Academic Job Satisfaction and Motivation: Perspectives from a Nation-Wide Study in Public Higher Education Institutions in Portugal

Abstract

The centrality of the faculty role makes it a primary sculptor of higher education institutions (HEIs). The performance of academic staff such as teachers and researchers has an impact on student learning and implications for the quality HEIs and therefore their contribution to society. Thus the academic staff can, with appropriate support, build a national and international reputation for themselves and for the institution in the professional areas, in research and in publishing.

The Portuguese higher education system has been faced with major reforms over the last years, which include the implementation of the Bologna Process, the approval of a new legal regime for the HEIs and the approval of new statutes relating to the academic career in the public HEIs.

Job satisfaction and motivation are viewed as a predictor of positive attitudes at work, productivity, and, consequently, good results for the institutions. The purpose of this chapter is to present and analyse the findings of a nationwide study on satisfaction and motivation of academics in Portuguese public higher education institutions. The data are extensively analysed and findings are presented here, along with the implications they offer to Portuguese public HEIs.

Appendices

Appendices

1.1 Appendix 1

Table 5.8 Satisfaction with teaching climate

Table 5.9 Satisfaction with management of the institution/department/unit

Table 5.11 Satisfaction with non academic staff (administrative staff. technical and laboratorial staff…)

Table 5.12 Satisfaction with physical work environment

Table 5.13 Satisfaction with conditions of employment

Table 5.14 Satisfaction with personal and professional development

Table 5.15 Satisfaction with institutions’ culture and values

Table 5.16 Satisfaction with institutions’ prestige

Table 5.17 Satisfaction with research climate

Table 5.18 Overall Satisfaction

Table 5.19 Overall motivation

1.2 Appendix 2

Survey on Faculty Job Satisfaction in Higher Education – CIPES – Centre for Research in Higher Education Policies

This survey was designed to collect information on your satisfaction and motivation as a faculty member. Your personal identity is not known to participate in it. This questionnaire is applied under the Project PTDC/ESC/67784/2006 – An Examination of Academic Job Satisfaction and Motivation in Portuguese Higher Education (ESMAESP), funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). If you work in more than one higher education institution, please answer reporting your major contract.

1.2.1 A Note on Privacy

This survey is anonymous. The record kept of your survey responses does not contain any identifying information about you, unless a specific question in the survey has asked for this. If you answered a survey that used an identifying token to allow you access, you can be assured that the identifying token is not kept with the answers. It is managed in a separate database and will only be updated to indicate if you completed or not this survey. It is not possible to relate the tokens of identification with the answers to this survey.

1.3 I. Satisfaction Dimensions

• 1. What is your degree of satisfaction with the following aspects of your job as a faculty member?

  1.1. Teaching climate	Strongly dissatisfied										Strongly satisfied
  	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
  With the distribution of teaching service for teachers of your department/organizational unit
  With the recognition from your peers
  With teaching facilities (e.g. classrooms, laboratories, etc.)
  With the behaviour of your students in class time
  With training of students
  With the results of your work as a faculty member
  With your degree of autonomy in your teaching practice
  With class sizes
  With the organization of schedules

  1.2. Management of the Institution/Department/Unit	Strongly dissatisfied	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly satisfied
  	0										10
  With those in top management positions in your institution
  With those in top management positions in your department/organizational unit
  With communication with managers
  With the management's response to faculty needs
  With the ability of those in positions of management to innovate
  With the time that those in management positions take to respond to the needs of faculty

  1.3. Colleagues	Strongly dissatisfied	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly satisfied
  	0										10
  With the skills of faculty of your department/organizational unit
  With the scientific quality of the faculty of your department/organizational unit in comparison with faculty of other similar institutions
  With the pedagogic quality of the faculty of your department/organizational unit in comparison with faculty of other similar institutions
  With the interaction between faculty members of different courses
  With the cooperation with colleagues from different departments/units
  With the openness to change shown by faculty of your department/organizational unit

  1.4. Non academic staff (administrative staff, technical and laboratorial staff…)	Strongly dissatisfied	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly satisfied	Not applicable
  	0										10	11
  With the cooperation of administrative staff in your institution
  With the cooperation of technical-lab staff in your institution
  With the performance of non academic staff in your institution
  With the adequacy of the number of non academic staff to the amount of existing work

  1.5. Physical work environment	Strongly dissatisfied	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly satisfied	Not applicable
  	0										10	11
  With the quality of the office
  With the adequacy of laboratory equipment to your needs
  With the adequacy of computer facilities to your needs
  With the adequacy of reviews and books in your institution to carry out your work
  With food service (restaurant/bar/canteen)
  With the cleanup of the institution
  With the equipment available to faculty and their families (eg, gym, nursery, living spaces…)
  With the existence of an area to monitor the students (eg, ask questions)
  With the fact that you have to share the office
  With the existence of space/s to hold meetings
  With the size of classrooms
  With the availability of parking for faculty

  1.6. Conditions of employment	Strongly dissatisfied	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly satisfied
  	0										10
  With your remuneration
  With the career opportunities
  With job security

  1.7. Personnel and professional development	Strongly dissatisfied	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly satisfied
  	0										10
  With the conditions you have to balance work and family life
  With the conditions you have for your personnel development
  With the conditions you have for your professional development

  1.8. Institutions’ culture and values	Strongly dissatisfied	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly satisfied
  	0										10
  With the academic freedom you have
  With the participation of faculty of your institution in decision-making processes
  With the ability to innovate in your institution

  1.9. Institutions’ prestige	Strongly dissatisfied	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly satisfied
  	0										10
  With the prestige of your institution
  With the international partners of your institution
  With the national partners of your institution
  With the efforts of your institution to improve its image

  1.10. Research climate
  (ANSWER ONLY IF YOU DO RESEARCH)	Strongly dissatisfied	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly satisfied
  	0										10
  With the time you have to do research
  With the recognition by the institution of your research work
  With the financial resources to do research
  With the logistical conditions to do research
  With your research outputs
  With the degree of internationalization of your research work
  With the opportunities you have to do research
  With your number of publications/presentations

  1.11. General satisfaction	Strongly dissatisfied	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly satisfied
  	0										10
  With your job
  With your institution
  With the opportunity you have to update knowledge
  With the adequacy of your skills to your teaching practice
  With the social prestige of your job

  All things considered , how do you rate your overall satisfaction:

  	Strongly dissatisfied	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly satisfied
  	0										10
  With your teaching activity
  With the research you do

• 2. Would you advise other people to work in your current and primary institution?

  Yes

  O

  No

  O

  I don’t know

  O

• 3. In your opinion, how important is each of these aspects for students’ academic success?

  	Not important at all	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Very important	I have no opinion
  	0										10	11
  Your knowledge as a faculty member
  Your skills as a faculty member
  Your motivation as a faculty member
  Your satisfaction as a faculty member

• 4. Given the mission and objectives of your institution, what is the importance you give to each of the following aspects?

  	Not important at all	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Very important	I have no opinion
  	0										10	11
  Your teaching activity
  The research you do
  The support you provide to the community
  Your participation in governing bodies

1.4 II. Motivation

• 5. What is your level of motivation for each of the following aspects?

	Strongly demotivated	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly motivated
	0										10
To teach
To do research
To serve the community
To participate in the governing bodies
To work in your institution
To remain as a faculty member in higher education

1.5 III. Satisfaction, Motivation and Performance

• 6. What is the importance you give to each of the following aspects for faculty performance?

	Not important at all	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Very important	I have no opinion
	0										10	11
The faculty motivation
The faculty satisfaction

1.6 IV. Academic Decision at Your Institution

• 7. Distribute 100 points among the options available to characterize the decision-making process in your (main) institution of higher education.

  • In these fields only should be introduced numbers

  • The total must be 100 points

collegial: There are widespread opportunities to participate meaningfully in decision making.
formal/rational: Decision making is formally structured. Problems are analysed. Decisions are made in a logical and reasoned manner.
autonomous: Academic and professional units function with a good deal of freedom in a decentralized or loosely coordinated environment.
autocratic: Decisions are made by higher level administrators with little or no consultation with faculty or lower level academic units.
political: Different people or groups move in and out of the decision making process, wielding varying amounts of power at different times.
Remaining:
Total:

• 8. What influence do you have, personally, in the formulation of key academic policies at the level of your unit?

Much influence	O
Some influence	O
Little influence	O
No influence	O

• 9. What influence do you have, personally, in the formulation of key academic policies at the level of your institution?

Much influence	O
Some influence	O
Little influence	O
No influence	O

1.7 V. The New Regulation for Faculty Careers (Answer Only If You Are Professor of Public Higher Education)

• 10. Do you know the new regulation for faculty careers (Decree-Law No. 205 - university higher education; Decree-Law No. 206 – polytechnic higher education; Decree-Law No 207 - polytechnic higher education, of 31, August, 2009)?

  Yes

  O (go to question 10.1.)

  No

  O (go to question 11)

• 10.1 What is your degree of satisfaction with the following aspects of this new regulation?

  	Strongly dissatisfied	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly satisfied
  	0										10
  Evaluation and Performance
  Hiring Process
  Advancement in the Academic Career
  The new regulation for faculty careers in general

• 10.2 In your opinion, to what extent the new regulation for faculty careers (Decrees-Law No. 205, 206 and 207 of 31, August, 2009) contributes to facilitate the mobility of faculty between higher education institutions?

  Doesn’t contribute	O
  Contributes little	O
  Contributes	O
  Contributes a lot	O
  I have no opinion	O

  Does the new regulation for faculty careers promote inbreeding?

  Yes

  O

  No

  O

  I don’t know

  O

  What is your degree of satisfaction with the practice of “inbreeding”?

  	Strongly dissatisfied	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Strongly satisfied
  	0										10
  Degree of satisfaction

1.8 VI. Academic/Professional Context

If you work in more than one higher education institution, please answer reporting your major contract.

1.8.1 Teaching

• 12. Academic position

Full Professor	O
Associate Professor	O
Assistant Professor	O
Invited Assistant Professor	O
Invited Associate Professor	O
Invited Full Professor	O
Visiting Assistant Professor	O
Visiting Associate Professor	O
Visiting Full Professor	O
Assistant	O
Junior Assistant	O
Invited Assistant	O
Reader	O
Monitor	O
Coordinator Professor	O
Adjunct Professor	O
Professor Equiparado-Coordinator, Adjunct, Assistant	O
Other (please specify) ______________________________	O

• 13. Type of contract

Indefinite contract with experimental period	O
Indefinite contract without experimental period	O
Fixed term contract	O
Administrative contract (Contrato administrativo de provimento)	O
Other (please specify)____________________________________	O

• 14. Validity of your contract

Less than 1 year	O
Between 1 and 3 years	O
More than 3 years	O

• 15. Are you with an exclusive regime?

Yes

O

No

O

• 16. Working regime

Part-time	O
Full-time	O
Other (please specify)____________________________________	O

• 17. How many hours do you usually teach per week:

At night (after 8 pm) ______

During the day ______

Saturday ______

• 18. Besides the hours you teach during a week, how many hours do you work per week in average considering all aspects of education (orientation, lesson planning, assessment, monitoring of students…)? ______

• 19. Is the work at night (teaching) rewarded at the primary institution where you teach?

Yes

O

No

O

I don’t know

O

• 20. In which area/s do you teach?

General Programs	O
Education	O
Arts and Humanities	O
Social Sciences, Commerce and Law	O
Science, Mathematics and Computer	O
Engineering, Manufacturing Industries and Construction	O
Agriculture	O
Health and Social Protection	O
Services	O
Unspecified	O

• 21. Is there correspondence between the area/s you teach and your area/s of academic education?

Yes

O

No

O

• 22. Does your teaching activity cause stress to you?

Yes

O

No

O

• 23. For how many years, including this year, are you teaching in higher education?

Less than 1 year	O
Please indicate the years: ______

• 24. For how many years, including this year, are you teaching in your current institution ?

Less than 1 year	O
Please indicate the years: ______

• 25. If you have the opportunity, will you move to another institution?

  Yes

  O

  No

  O

  • 25.1. If yes, why?

  Select all that apply
  I would like to have better working conditions (e. g. space, workload)	O
  I would like to work in another geographical location	O
  I would like to work in another type of institution (e.g. public, private)	O
  I would like to work in another institution with better reputation	O
  I would like to have research opportunities	O
  I am not satisfied with my position	O
  I am not satisfied with my salary	O
  I am not satisfied with the quality of my students	O
  Other (please specify) ______________________________________	O

1.8.2 Teaching management

• 26. Are you responsible for the management of any program?

  Yes

  O

  No

  O

  • 26.1. If yes, what is/are the academic degree/s?

  Select all that apply
  Undergraduate	O
  Master	O
  PhD	O
  Advanced Training Courses	O

1.8.3 Management

• 27. What management positions have you been holding in the last five years?

Select all that apply
Coordinator/Director of Department	O
President/School Director	O
School Vice-President	O
School Vice-Director	O
Rector/President	O
Vice-Rector/Vice-President	O
Pro-Rector	O
I have not held management responsibilities	O
Other (please, specify)_________________	O

1.8.4 Research

• 28. Over the last five years have you been responsible for:

any research centre?
Yes	O	No	O
any funded research project?
Yes	O	No	O
any unfunded research project?
Yes	O	No	O

• 29. If you have research tasks/responsibilities, what is the main scientific area in which you do research?

  Mathematics	O
  Computer and information sciences	O
  Physical sciences	O
  Chemical sciences	O
  Earth and related environmental sciences	O
  Biological sciences	O
  Other natural sciences	O
  Civil engineering	O
  Electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering	O
  Mechanical engineering	O
  Chemical engineering	O
  Materials engineering	O
  Medical engineering	O
  Environmental engineering	O
  Environmental biotechnology	O
  Industrial Biotechnology	O
  Nano-technology	O
  Other engineering and Technologies	O
  Basic medicine	O
  Clinical medicine	O
  Health sciences	O
  Health biotechnology	O
  Other medical sciences	O
  Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries	O
  Animal and dairy science	O
  Veterinary science	O
  Agricultural biotechnology	O
  Other agricultural sciences	O
  Psychology	O
  Economics and business	O
  Educational sciences	O
  Sociology	O
  Law	O
  Political Science	O
  Social and economic geography	O
  Media and communications	O
  Other social sciences	O
  History and archaeology	O
  Languages and literature	O
  Philosophy, ethics and religion	O
  Art (arts, history of arts, performing arts, music)	O
  Other humanities	O

  • 29.1. On average, how many hours do you spend per week with that research activity?______

1.8.5 All Activities in Higher Education

• 30. Approximately, what percentage of time do you spend , during an academic year, in the following activities (including your national and international involvement)?

  In these fields only should be introduced numbers

  The total must be 100 points

Teaching activities (Including preparations, teaching, evaluation)
Academic and educational advising
Orientation of works/thesis/dissertations
Research
Committee work (national and/or international)
Administrative duties
Professional development
Consulting
Service to the academic community
Community Services
Other
Remaining:
Total:

• 31. Approximately, what percentage of time would you like to spend , during an academic year, in the following activities (including your national and international involvement)?

  • In these fields only should be introduced numbers

  • The total must be 100 points

Teaching activities (Including preparations, teaching, evaluation)
Academic and educational advising
Orientation of works/thesis/dissertations
Research
Committee work (national and/or international)
Administrative duties
Professional development
Consulting
Service to the academic community
Community Services
Other
Remaining:
Total:

• 32. Please tell us the following:

Does your professional activity has an impact on your family life?

Positive Impact (Please describe)_____________________________________________

Negative Impact (Please describe)_____________________________________________

1.9 VII. General Information

• 33. Sex

Female	O
Male	O

• 34. Marital status

Single	O
Married	O
Divorced	O
Widow/er	O
Separated	O
União de facto (living together for more than two years)	O

• 34.1. Does your partner/husband/wife work? (If you have partner/husband/wife)

  Yes

  O

  No

  O

  • 34.2. Is your partner/husband/wife an academic? (If you have partner/husband/wife)

  Yes

  O

  No

  O

• 35. Year of birth ________

• 36. Type of institution

Public University	O
Public Polytechnic	O
Private University	O
Private Polytechnic	O

• 37. In which institution do you teach? (answers in attachment)

• 38. Approximately, what is your net salary per month? (The answer is optional) __________

• 39. Which of the following descriptions comes closest to your feeling about the current income of people living in your house?

The current income allows you to live comfortably	O
The current income is enough to live	O
It's difficult to live with the current income	O
It is very difficult to live with the current income	O
You don’t know	O

• 40. What is your degree of education?

  Undergraduate	O
  Master	O
  PhD	O

  Specify the area
  Mathematics	O
  Computer and information sciences	O
  Physical sciences	O
  Chemical sciences	O
  Earth and related environmental sciences	O
  Biological sciences	O
  Other natural sciences	O
  Civil engineering	O
  Electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering	O
  Mechanical engineering	O
  Chemical engineering	O
  Materials engineering	O
  Medical engineering	O
  Environmental engineering	O
  Environmental biotechnology	O
  Industrial Biotechnology	O
  Nano-technology	O
  Other engineering and Technologies	O
  Basic medicine	O
  Clinical medicine	O
  Health sciences	O
  Health biotechnology	O
  Other medical sciences	O
  Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries	O
  Animal and dairy science	O
  Veterinary science	O
  Agricultural biotechnology	O
  Other agricultural sciences	O
  Psychology	O
  Economics and business	O
  Educational sciences	O
  Sociology	O
  Law	O
  Political Science	O
  Social and economic geography	O
  Media and communications	O
  Other social sciences	O
  History and archaeology	O
  Languages and literature	O
  Philosophy, ethics and religion	O
  Art (arts, history of arts, performing arts, music)	O
  Other humanities	O

  • Specify the year of conclusion of your highest academic degree __________

    GENERAL COMMENTS