In recent decades, higher education has witnessed the development of a series of policies aimed at improving its quality. To this end, accountability measures have been promoted, which are having a major impact on academics. In addition, the precariousness of work in this professional sector is contributing to emphasise its consequences. In this context, early career researchers have become a highly vulnerable group, as the pretence of wanting to be part of the academic world is becoming an increasingly challenging purpose. This systematic review of the literature aims to collect and systematise the most relevant contributions on the impact that this situation has on the professional identity of young academics. To this end, a bibliographic search was carried out in four different databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Education Resources Information Center, Google Scholar), which yielded a total of 24 articles published in international journals. The results show how the political‐economic measures that currently surround higher education are contributing to the development of a new neoliberal academic subject characterised by a professional identity unconsciously subjected to the system's requirements. This identity is characterised by a prioritisation of research over teaching, by the development of unethical research practices and by their impact on health and social and family relations. Finally, the need for more studies in this line with other approaches (longitudinal) and with more general and varied samples is emphasised.

The changes produced in higher education as a consequence of neoliberal influences have had a considerable impact on the university world. As a consequence, there has been a growing research interest in how such changes have affected academics. However, recent review studies related to this issue are scarce in the literature. Therefore, this systematic review aims to provide a general overview of the way in which these new changes in higher education have had an impact on teachers. To this end, a bibliographic search was conducted on the Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Education Resources Information Centre, which yielded a total of 38 articles published in international journals. Thematic analysis was applied using the NVivo 12 software package, from which three emerging themes were identified: action strategies in view of new neoliberal demands; construction of the professional identities; and work, health and social consequences. Further, this review highlighted the need for more research on the influence of the closest social context (research team/department) on academic staff; as well as the development of systematic reviews of the literature that go deeper into the processes of construction and development of new professional identities.

Purpose: Nowadays, networks are the basic core of social organization and interaction; consequently, networking has become an indispensable requirement in today's societies. In education, the development of different types of collaborative networks has been observed, leading, in recent years, to the creation of educational macro-networks that generate links between schools and different types of institutions. Therefore, this study consists of a systematic review to examine the most relevant findings on this type of educational macro-networks. The authors’ objectives were: to examine the main characteristics of this type of networks; to analyze the consequences they cause; and to determine which aspects contribute to or hinder their construction and development.Design/methodology/approach: A bibliographic search was carried out in Web of Science, SCOPUS and Education Resources Information Center, which yielded a total of 29 studies that were analyzed thematically using Nvivo software.Findings: Among the most noteworthy results are: the wide variety of existing structures; the benefits they generate in terms of learning outcomes, educational equity and the reduction of inequalities; and the influence exerted by the type of leadership and policies in the development of this macro-networks. Finally, future lines of research and policy implications for practice are highlighted.Originality/value: In this society, networks have become the basic core of an organization and the new form of social interaction. As a result, networks have begun to play a fundamental role in today's societies, even permeating various spheres such as education. In this context, it is essential to analyse this type of relationship in the field of education in order to truly understand its implications in this sector as well as its development and structure.

Purpose: Improving and assuring the quality of higher education has become a key element of policy agendas worldwide. To this end, a complete accountability system has been developed through various evaluation procedures. Specifically, this study analyzes the perceptions of university teaching staff on the impact of performance appraisal systems on their professional activity, health and personal lives. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted a nonexperimental descriptive and causal-comparative design using a questionnaire that was completed by a sample of 2,183 Spanish teachers. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics and comparisons of differences. Findings: The results show that, according to teachers, the evaluation criteria undermine the quality of their work by encouraging them to neglect teaching, increase scientific production and engage in unethical research practices. Their views also emphasize the social and health-related consequences of an increasingly competitive work climate, including increased stress levels. Finally, significant differences are observed regarding gender, professional category and academic discipline, with women, junior faculty and social sciences teachers expressing particularly strong views. Originality/value: The originality of this study lies in the application of a method that contributes to the international debate through a national perspective (Spain) that has so far received little attention.

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted profound changes in Higher Education. Thus, policymakers in different national contexts worldwide needed to design alternative responses to deal with new educational scenarios. In Spain, rethinking educational management in Higher Education remains an issue of current debate. Methodological readjustments towards virtual teaching, the digital divide due to socio-economic and cultural issues of the students, unequal access to education, or a decrease in internationalization have been some of the most significant adversities faced during this time. Amid this crisis, the measures taken by political leaders and university managers played an essential role. This study aims to provide an overview of the policy measures developed during this period, describing some of the most important decisions taken by different universities in Spain. To this end, an exploration based on secondary data from extensive literature reviews is carried out to construct a descriptive analysis of the measures implemented in Spanish universities. The findings highlight the coordinated action of the Spanish university system and the staunch defense of face-to-face teaching. This health crisis has also highlighted the deficits of this level of education and shed light on its future. Spain faces major challenges in the field of higher education. Consequently, the Spanish university system must begin building the foundations for educational innovation and training education professionals without fear of online scenarios. Finally, this article also proposes suggestions to guide policymakers in dealing with future adverse situations.

En las últimas décadas, la Educación Superior se ha visto sometida a una paulatina, pero progresiva transformación a nivel mundial. La globalización ha impulsado mecanismos de convergencia entre estados para alcanzar estándares comunes en la Educación Superior; entre ellos, aquellos que buscan garantizar la calidad de la docencia universitaria. El objetivo de la presente investigación es analizar los estudios más recientes realizados sobre el impacto que los nuevos sistemas de evaluación docente generan en el profesorado universitario. Para tal fin, se ha desarrollado una revisión sistemática de la literatura en la que se han empleado tres bases de datos diferentes (Wos, Scopus y ERIC). Tras la búsqueda y aplicación de los criterios de inclusión/exclusión se seleccionaron un total de 15 documentos que fueron sometidos tanto a un análisis temático como de sus características. Entre los resultados más destacados, se observa el desarrollo de identidades académicas fragmentadas que impactan en las labores y en el bienestar del profesorado. También, la presencia de opiniones contradictorias sobre la evaluación docente. Asimismo, se mencionan posibles alternativas sobre los sistemas de evaluación docente. Para concluir, se subrayan una serie de futuras líneas de investigación como la consideración de muestras más variadas que permitan comparaciones más detalladas entre diversas variables, el desarrollo de estudios de corte longitudinal, y el fomento de alternativas que busquen la mejora de los actuales sistemas de evaluación.