Quality of Life of Academic Actors. Career Trajectories and Working Conditions

Universities worldwide have undergone significant changes, such as rising student numbers and the reduction of education and research funding. In particular, universities in Italy have faced drastic funding cuts, making university careers increasingly unattainable and leading to heightened stress among academic staff. Recognizing the need to study the quality of life of academics, a survey was conducted from December 2022 to February 2023 at the Sapienza University of Rome. Covering various academic roles, the study aimed to understand the “academic field”, that is the interactions among individuals in academia. Early career researchers were included, given their significant impact by ongoing academic changes. The data was analyzed using multivariate analysis, identifying indices of interference between life domains and their positive or negative relationship with work discomfort. The analysis conducted revealed different aspects of career and life trajectories. The findings suggest that a good organization amidst multiple daily commitments reduce work discomfort. Academic staff’s quality of life is also improved if individual value leisure and personal growth, preventing work domain from negatively affecting their daily routine. The study also highlighted variations in experience based on job category, gender, and the distinction between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ sciences.