About Us
We are a team of several mid-career academics in Finance in the UK. Motivated by a general lack of institutional support for the mid-career stage, our ambition is to launch the Mid-career Academic Network (MAN) to connect researchers and educators in the Finance discipline, not only in the UK but also other countries, who share a common interest in taking their careers to the next level and realising their full potential.
Mid-career faculty deserve more attention for several reasons. First, this group is the largest part of the academic workforce, and they often take on important management and leadership roles. Second, mid-career is the longest and most productive career stage, but it could be a confusing period with less clear professional goals. Third, mid-career usually coincides with mid-life crises and the need to focus more on work-life balance.
Mission and Objectives
Our mission is to thoroughly support mid-career academics to keep up with increasing demands in higher education and successfully transition into their late career. Specifically, our objectives are as follows.
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To promote academic excellence and innovation through peer review and feedback, enhancing the visibility and impact of MAN members’ research outputs
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To support continuous professional development and career advancement of members (especially under-represented groups), enhancing their productivity and skills
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To create collaborative opportunities and a sense of community, fostering communication and exchange of ideas among members
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To achieve these objectives, we plan to implement various activities including both live events (e.g. conferences, seminars, talks, workshops, interviews) and ongoing activities (e.g. shared contact list, online forum, mentoring scheme).
Vision and Values
Our vision is to offer a powerful launchpad for accelerated high-level career progression in academia, that transcends geographical boundaries. In realising this vision, we are committed to uphold the following values: academic excellence, integrity, diversity, and collaboration. These values will guide MAN activities as well as interactions among its members and with external partners.
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Academic excellence: MAN supports its members in pursuing their academic goals and achieving recognition for their work, promoting a culture of lifelong learning and professional development.
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Integrity: MAN adheres to the highest standards of ethical conduct and academic honesty, and expects its members to act with honesty, fairness and respect.
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Diversity: MAN embraces diversity as a source of strength and richness for its community. The network values different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds, encouraging its members to engage with diverse audiences and stakeholders.
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Collaboration: MAN fosters a collaborative environment that facilitates the exchange of ideas, resources and expertise among its members. The network promotes cross-institutional collaboration, seeking partnership with other networks and organisations.
