Finding their way: becoming a researcher in higher education studies

This study examines the career pathways and identity formation of early career researchers (ECRs) within higher education (HE) studies. We understand HE studies as a field of study in which HE is the object of the research. Addressing a significant gap in existing literature, our study investigates how individuals become researchers in HE studies and how social contexts shape their professional identities. Through a qualitative, biographical approach, twelve in-depth interviews with Austrian ECRs were conducted and analysed using hermeneutic and coding methods. By understanding ECRs’ trajectories from the theoretical perspective of communities of practice (CoP), this study sheds light on the dynamic interplay between the academic environment in the field of HE studies and the individuals’ biographical experiences. The analysis identifies four CoPs that particularly shape ECRs’ integration into HE studies and their identification as HE researchers: (1) undergraduate and graduate studies prior to the PhD, (2) the workplace, (3) research activities and (4) scientific networks. The results underscore the importance of addressing the barriers faced by those outside established academic networks and considering broader biographical factors that influence integration into HE research.