Goslings: a researcher development metaphor?
Reflects on the parallels between young animals and early career academics
My role at Middlesex University focused on researcher development (see also Why did I take early retirement). It included organising many events, but the best-loved of them all was the yearly writing retreat at Cumberland Lodge in Windsor park.
Having visited Cumberland Lodge at different times over the years allowed me to capture the young Egyptian geese at the cow pond at different stages of their development. I think the two pictures below - a few weeks apart - are a perfect metaphor for the importance of systematic and supportive staff development at universities.
Without it, junior colleagues may see the wider academic world as a bit scary. So they stay in their natural habitat (water), close to their parents/seniors for support (see above). With staff development they may still have some of their baby feathers, but are striding confidently into the wider academic world (see below). They are still together, but have now discovered their individual identity. They have also learned to be at ease with those different from them (see the ducks and coot).
Engaging with colleagues from diverse academic backgrounds through intellectual conversations provided fresh perspectives and collaborative ideas, which are crucial for interdisciplinary research.
This year I saw especially strong value in being able to meet with people from parts of the Faculty that I don't normally interact with, such as Law & Criminology. I invited one of them to join our Business Ethics, Accountability and Governance research cluster and I can see lots of potential for future research collaborations.
Do notice the three adult gees eat the back though, following at a small distance. They let the goslings find their own path. However, the goslings can still take comfort from the fact that their seniors - both their official parents/mentors and other members of their university community - keep an eye on them from a distance and are always there to help them with support.
The realisation of how approachable and willing to help our top research leaders actually are, have had a massive impact on my research output.
Speaking with my research mentor about my ongoing research and publication of my work was extremely valuable. As a result of our discussion, I have a stronger understanding about appropriate target journals.
The discussions on impact with two professors helped me to better understand the potential contributions of my research to both academic and non-academic audiences.
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Copyright © 2025 Anne-Wil Harzing. All rights reserved. Page last modified on Sun 5 Oct 2025 12:12
Anne-Wil Harzing is Emerita Professor of International Management at Middlesex University, London. She is a Fellow of the Academy of International Business, a select group of distinguished AIB members who are recognized for their outstanding contributions to the scholarly development of the field of international business. In addition to her academic duties, she also maintains the Journal Quality List and is the driving force behind the popular Publish or Perish software program.
