ABSTRACT
The academic profession worldwide is united by its commitment to teaching and the creation and transmission of knowledge. Yet, as pointed out by Burton R. Clark, it is also composed of “small worlds” and “different worlds” divided by discipline, role, and other factors (Clark 1987). This chapter examines the conditions of the academic profession and workplace in developing countries. A growing proportion of the world’s postsecondary students are found in developing countries, and the rate of expansion of higher education is greatest in this part of the world. In 2010, there are more than 150 million postsecondary students worldwide, with at least half studying in developing or middle-income countries (Altbach, Reisberg, and Rumbley 2009). China and India are now the largest and third largest academic systems in the world, respectively, and most of the enrollment expansion in the coming 30 years will be in developing countries. Further, many developing countries are building up large and complex academic systems, including research universities. There are an estimated 3,500,000 full-time academics in developing and middleincome countries, with perhaps an equal number of part-time teachers. Yet little is known about the professionals responsible for teaching and research in these universities.
