Academic Self-Realization of Researchers in Higher Education: Phenomenological Research-Based Evidence

In the dynamic context of higher education, the academic self-realization of a researcher is significant not only for the growth of the dedicated researcher but also for the well-being of the entire academic community. The purpose of this study was to reveal the academic self-realization experience of researchers in higher education and answer the research question: "What does academic self-realization mean for the researcher in higher education?" This study used a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach, which allowed researchers to delve into the academic self-realization experience of researchers in higher education. The study was conducted from November 2022 to December 2023 and represents the social sciences and the science of education. Individuals who have obtained a PhD, work as lecturers and/or researchers in Lithuanian universities, participate in the training of doctoral students, and who obtained bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees in more than one field of science took part in this study. This means that these researchers represent scientific multidisciplinarity. The research participants were from Lithuania and the United Kingdom. A total sample of seventeen researchers participated in the study. This article presents results from semi-structured interviews with six researchers, where the theme of "academic self-realization" emerged. The study results showed that the academic self-realization of the researcher in higher education is a process through which the researcher finds, develops, and represents personal interests and talents in the university's academic community, thereby contributing to the personal, scientific, and academic development of this community. The conducted research reveals the complexity of the academic self-realization of researchers, which includes a significant integration of academic and personal components.