Reframing Academic Development for the Ecological University: From ‘Change’ to ‘Growth’

Abstract

This paper contributes to an emerging multi-layered perspective of academic development that embraces the diversity of knowledges that exists across the university campus. However, across these multiple layers there are a few universal characteristics that can provide cohesion and sustainability for third-space practitioners. A focus on growth allows academic development to align with a philosophy of becoming that is supported by the powerful adaptive cycle heuristic. A professional framework that highlights key ecological concepts of resilience and humility draws together the professional endeavours of academic developers. This may help to disengage the university from destructive pathological values that are maintained by neoliberalism.