Meaning of Work and sense of profession at the Academy in Colombia

Abstract

The research was framed in the context of the transformation of work, especially the located in the academy. The analysis was of the configuration of the meaning of work and the sense of the profession in a group of Colombian university teachers, analyzed the metamorphosis of the university and the emergence of academic-capitalism. Quantitative data were collected through a questionnaire assessing working conditions, workload, workplace wellness, burnout and engagement, applied to 160 teachers in four Colombian cities. Qualitative information was obtained through open questions in the questionnaire and a group interview. The professionals expressed moderate satisfaction with their working conditions at the academy. The discomfort associated with the perception of work overload, of precarious contractual conditions and loss of identity links with academy. It is a source of psychosocial stress, tension between the sense of the profession and the new academic order.