A whisper of academic identity: an HE in FE perspective

This paper considers conceptions of the term ‘academic identity’ amongst lecturers delivering higher education business programmes (HEBPs) in further education colleges (FECs). A brief look at leading authors’ work on the subject of identity is considered first, which then moves on to offer a preconception of the term ‘academic’. The data was drawn from a 2009 doctoral study by Feather looking at this subject area, and is based on findings from primary data collected in 2006–2007. Due to the lack of published work (at that time in, and on, Higher Education (HE) in further education (FE)); the study drew heavily on literature from HE. This study highlights the potential issues and anxieties of those who took part in the study about their academic identity, and how they make sense of the environment they work in. In addition, the paper will highlight whether these lecturers consider themselves to be academics.