The challenges of working in Australian academia: an introduction

This is an introduction to and an overview of the issues highlighted in this special issue on work in the higher education sector of Australia and New Zealand. Drawn from a special session of the AIRAANZ 2013 conference, this issue highlights the profound structural changes that are occurring in the sector, the extreme segmentation of the academic workforce, and outlines the effects of these changes on all workers in the sector. The presented research not only identifies the challenges but also offers suggestions around improving pedagogy, reducing barriers to gender equality and addressing the aspirations of the segmented under class of workers in the sector including sessional academics, professional and administrative staff. The research also highlights the potential and limitations of IR solutions to many of the workforce and workplace issues confronting the sector.