Eight purposively selected SLP-A lecturers at the University of Interest (UoI) (a pseudonym used to protect the institution’s identity) participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews, guided by an interview schedule developed by the researcher. The participants had to be pursuing their PhD and have at least 2 years of full-time lecturing experience in the SLP-A disciplines (see Table 1). Academics who did not meet these criteria were excluded. See Table 1 for further details on the participants’ backgrounds.

The participants ranged in age from 28 years to 52 years, with the majority in their 30s. Two participants held a speech-language pathology (SLP) degree, three had an audiology (A) degree and three had a dual degree (SLP-A). Six participants were audiology lecturers, while three were SLP lecturers. Participants 3, 4, and 8 were at an advanced stage of their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) credentialing. The other participants were either at the data collection or proposal stage of their PhD. Overall, the participants were a good representation of the typical demographics of the personnel within SLP-A disciplines.

Data were generated through semi-structured interviews conducted on the Zoom online platform and subsequently analysed verbatim through the same platform (Archibald et al., 2019). The interview schedule, developed by the researcher and informed by the literature, study objectives and the researcher’s experiences, guided the interview (Kelliher et al., 2019; McMahon & Patton, 2018; Zacher et al., 2019) (see Online Appendix 1). Verbatim transcription was naturalised or cleaned to limit non-word verbalisations or clutter and enhance clarity (Nascimento & Steinbruch, 2019). By listening to each interview at half-speed and reading the transcription simultaneously, the researcher ensured the accuracy of the transcription. Using NVivo version 12, thematic analysis was conducted, guided by Braun and Clarke (2006, p. 87), within the hermeneutic phenomenological design recommended by Ajjawi and Higgs (2007). Initially, familiarisation was achieved through repeated listening to the interviews and reading of transcripts. Codes were allocated to emergent subthemes. Subthemes addressing similar experiences or views were grouped under one emergent theme. Familiarisation, immersion, theme development, synthesis and refinement resulted in the final themes presented in the results section of this article. Conducting these steps with each interview’s data before conducting the next interview allowed the researcher to identify when no new themes were emerging from the latest interview data, a point of data saturation. Data generation was terminated at this point as interview 8 did not produce themes that had not already emerged from interviews 1 to 7 (Ahmed, 2025).

Trustworthiness was achieved in several ways, as guided by Ramsook (2018). The selection of participants with first-hand experiences of ACD enhanced the credibility of their reflections. The researcher’s insider perspective as a developing lecturer in the audiology discipline also ensured depth in the participants’ reflections, as insightful probing in line with the hermeneutic phenomenology was implemented during the interviews (McConnell-Henry et al., 2011). The methodological rigour and transparency ensured transferability of the methods and findings to contexts similar to the UoI, respectively. Hermeneutic phenomenology does not advocate for objective means of verifying the researchers’ interpretations of the participants’ lived experiences, as the researcher’s own lived experiences are understood to be subjectively influenced by their background, history and past life experiences (Heidegger et al., 1962). Hence, objective measures of accuracy, such as member checking, were not conducted as they are arguably redundant and unnecessary in hermeneutic phenomenology (McConnell-Henry et al., 2011). Instead, prioritising transparency and depth of reporting on the participants’ experiences was ensured by sharing direct excerpts from the interviews with the participants.

Ethical clearance was obtained from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Human and Social Sciences Ethics Research Committee on 04 November 2021. The ethical clearance number is HSSREC/00002775/2021. Gatekeeper permission was obtained from the UoI to access the SLP-A academics. Each participant also provided consent to voluntarily participate.

Academic career development was experienced through three forms of support, indicated by the emergent themes. These included the experience of a supportive work environment, support for professional development as an educator and support for developing as a researcher (Table 2).

The SLP-A female academics experienced ACD in the form of supportive work resources and conditions. They had access to essential work resources, including IT and financial support, which were crucial to their academic development. The former included staff laptops, computer software and related IT support services necessary for academics to develop their teaching and research skills. The latter included funding for time away from teaching duties (temporary replacement of teaching staff), the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP), research scholarships and bursary opportunities (Participants 2 and 3), which contribute positively to the development of academics as researchers:

The management at the UoI, allowed flexible work conditions for SLP-A staff, as long as they deliver on their work expectations (P2). The flexible work context, without micro-management, was considered by some of UoI’s SLP-A staff as healthy, supportive and conducive to their developmental trajectories (Pajalic et al., 2023).

Developing as a teacher was experienced through accessing teacher training programmes designed to develop academics’ teaching knowledge and skills. For instance, the compulsory University Education Induction Programme (UEIP) targeted all new academic staff at the UoI. This programme introduced novice lecturers to the basics of university teaching, assessment and research supervision:

Accessing short upskilling training using learning management system (LMS) tools (Moodle or LEARN) equipped staff to optimise their teaching and efficiently cope with unexpected challenges, such as having to teach students remotely during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years. Such ongoing staff upskilling can contribute positively to innovative teaching and, therefore, to the development of academics as teachers (Inoncillo, 2024). Arguably, the effective use of LMS teaching resources should enhance teaching efficiency and enable academics to allocate more time to ACD activities, such as research.

There is a known positive correlation between research productivity and being a good lecturer (teacher), which suggests that improved teaching skills create space for academics to also improve as researchers or vice versa (Coccorese et al., 2024). The participants experienced development as researchers through receiving developmental employment posts aimed at fast-tracking their PhD credentialing and producing more research. Academics in the New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP) were expected to prioritise their PhD-related research over teaching responsibilities:

Academics who were part of the nGAP programme and large-scale research projects or other developmental programmes used such platforms to also access mentorship, which is considered important for ACD as a teacher and a researcher. Participants 1, 4 and 5 shared their experiences in this regard:

The credentialing of staff towards PhD degrees is a high priority for institutions that intend to be among the leading contributors to new knowledge and strive to be globally recognised (Joseph Jeyaraj et al., 2021). The current study findings suggest that support to improve staff as researchers is made available for academics in the SLP-A disciplines at the UoI. However, there may be challenges that compromise its accessibility, which potentially limit its impact on ACD. Some of those challenges are discussed next.

Access to available developmental support programs, such as the UCDP, Developing Research Innovation Localisation and Leadership (DRILL) and the nGAP at the UoI, is restricted by the dynamics at the discipline level, which can limit the staff’s ACD. Table 3 summarises some of the challenges in this regard.

The lack of time due to teaching and related commitments made the developmental trajectories challenging for academics in SLP-A disciplines. Work intensification has resulted in unhealthy pressure, limiting staff from accessing ACD opportunities that were made available to them (Joseph Jeyaraj et al., 2021). They could not find the time to set aside for ACD activities as Participants 2 and 4 elaborate:

Such a lack of time to pursue ACD activities also stems from the misalignment between the staff’s key performance areas (KPA) and how they allocate their time in practice. They tend to spend more time teaching, while their key performance area ratings do not acknowledge this as a strong consideration towards academic promotion:

Developmental lecturers in the nGAP programme are expected to spend the majority of their time credentialing towards their PhD and minimise the time spent on teaching and related administration. Yet, Participant 3 found herself doing more teaching and related administration than required by her contract, which compromised the time she spent on ACD activities.

In addition to time constraints, a lack of intradisciplinary mentorship from senior staff within the discipline further compromised ACD. The participants experienced a lack of support from senior staff in terms of orienting and welcoming them into academia. There was, thus, no easement or smooth transition into the discipline-specific academic practices, as the staff felt that they were thrown into the deep end and expected to swim with minimal support:

The participants experienced competition for ACD opportunities instead of mentorship support from senior staff. Thus, when opportunities for career development were presented, not all members had an equal chance to access them. The participants felt that some staff members were prioritised over others:

The lack of support within the discipline led to logistical challenges in accessing teaching relief, even when the funding for it was made available. The discipline could not provide the necessary temporary replacement staff to carry out teaching and related administrative duties on behalf of the permanent academic staff who received teaching relief funding. Instead, academic staff within the discipline were competing for teaching relief opportunities. The inability to access teaching relief, which would allow them to focus their energy on their PhDs and produce research publications, hindered the academics’ development. As a result, the SLP-A academics had to find time outside of their work hours to engage in ACD activities. Social life had to be compromised.

Due to having to compromise their social life to make time for ACD, developing academics at the UoI experienced poorer work–life balance (WLB) while pursuing ACD. They therefore experienced their ACD ambitions as negatively affecting their WLB, with the latter being compromised. Others reported a mutually negative experience of poor WLB leading to poor ACD or vice versa. Figure 2 and Figure 3 show the antagonistic and mutually negative relationship between ACD and WLB, respectively.

All participants experienced a slower pace of ACD than intended. They were all committed to prioritising their ACD, putting more effort towards obtaining their PhD qualification. Therefore, they all experienced a compromised WLB (Figure 2). Participants 7 and 8 elaborate on the antagonistic and mutually negative experiences between WLB and ACD, respectively:

The above excerpts suggest that the academics in pursuit of ACD did not have a healthy WLB. In some cases, both ACD and WLB were compromised (P8). This is consistent with Martin and Stanfill (2023), who argued that academics who experience poor WLB are unlikely to achieve optimum ACD. Furthermore, developing female academics typically struggle to find WLB, further highlighting a need to adopt a unique perspective concerning work intensification for female academics (Rajagopal et al., 2024).

The SLP-A academics at the UoI experienced being female as predominantly advantageous for ACD opportunities. They reported experiencing relatively more support opportunities towards ACD than their male counterparts. Participants 1 and 8 elaborate:

The findings suggest that the UoI has mechanisms to prioritise female academics’ ACD. Examples included developmental academic employment posts, such as the nGAP, and the availability of funding opportunities, such as the NRF funding. While these developmental mechanisms were also available for male academics, the findings suggest that female academics were typically a priority at the SLP-A disciplines of the UoI.

Qualitative research does not intend to generalise but to gain a deep understanding of specific contexts, as was the intention of the current study. In line with a qualitative design, this study was conducted with a small group of participants in the audiology and speech-language pathology disciplines of the UoI. Therefore, the study findings are only applicable (transferable) to institutions and situations that are contextually similar to the UoI’s SLP-A disciplines. Despite achieving the study aim, several design-related limitations should be noted. The key interest was the participants’ reflection on their reality, and not the objective truth, in line with the hermeneutic phenomenological design. While such a subjective nature of the design is fully acceptable within the chosen design, it can also be considered a limitation. The design also does not encourage objective means of verifying the findings, such as member checking. Such practice is considered redundant within Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology, as the primary aim of this design is to facilitate the subjective understanding of the participants’ experiences. This may be considered a limitation. To address these limitations, ACD and WLB should be explored from different and wider methodological perspectives. Similar research should, therefore, be conducted on a larger scale, involving more disciplines and universities, to avoid the limitation of focusing on a smaller context and to encourage a wider generalisability.

This study addresses the identified knowledge gap regarding the experienced ACD among female SLP-A academics at a South African university and its related impact on WLB. It provided the basis on which higher education institutions could improve their policy development to support or fast-track female academics’ ACD and protect junior academics from ACD restrictions. The study further showed that there is a need to further explore the logistics of facilitating access to the available ACD opportunities for developing staff, without compromising the quality of their teaching and related administration and without negatively affecting their WLB.

The UoI has a wellness programme geared towards supporting the mental health of staff, along with flexible working hours to assist with WLB. However, there is currently no specific policy strictly focused on the staff’s WLB, an area that needs to be explored further through stakeholder engagements between departments such as the human resources, academic leadership and quality assurance. The allocation of teaching workloads and other related administrative tasks appears to be ignorant of the other commitments of academic staff, including ACD activities such as credentialing for a PhD degree and conducting research to meet the publication output demands. There is a need to explore the best way to sync each staff member’s key performance area allocations with other work expectations to help staff prioritise their work and ACD activities accordingly.