Abstract:

Academic careers are often presented as structured pathways built around teaching, research and service. In practice, however, many academics discover that understanding how these elements interact in career progression is far less straightforward. Advancement within higher education frequently involves navigating a complex set of expectations, informal norms and institutional priorities that are rarely explained explicitly. Academic careers are therefore shaped not only by formal structures but also by what educational scholars describe as the hidden curriculum, the unwritten rules and expectations that individuals learn through experience and social interaction.

This study explores academic career development through the metaphor of an “academic game”, using a role playing framework to illustrate how individuals gradually learn the rules of progression while developing different professional identities within higher education. Within this conceptual lens, academics may pursue different “character builds”: the publication focused researcher, the teaching focused educator, the engagement and impact champion, or combinations of these roles. These pathways reflect the diverse forms of contribution valued within universities, yet the relative importance of each dimension is not always transparent to those navigating the system.

The discussion connects this metaphor to research on imposter syndrome, first described by Clance and Imes, and to the role of metacognitive awareness in professional development. Many academics report uncertainty about whether they are progressing “correctly”, particularly when promotion frameworks appear to reward multiple and sometimes competing forms of achievement. In this context, learning often occurs through participation in academic communities of practice, where mentoring, collaboration and professional conversations help individuals interpret expectations and reflect on their evolving professional identities.

Ultimately, this research suggests that recognising the hidden curriculum of academia, and developing greater metacognitive awareness of how academic systems operate, can help educators navigate their careers more intentionally while aligning professional development with both institutional expectations and personal values.

Keywords:

Academic identity, Hidden curriculum, Imposter syndrome, Metacognition, Professional development, Higher education.