Representation of Early Career Academics in Higher Education Governance: Policies and Practices Across Europe

This study investigates the representation of early career academics (ECAs) in higher education governance across nine EUcountries. Drawing on cultural and organisational theories and New Public Management literature, the aim is to analyse hownational and institutional policies regulate ECAs' representation in institutional decision-making and how inclusive in terms ofgender this representation is in practice. Based on a documentary analysis, the study finds that various EU soft law initiativesregarding ECAs' representation are slowly being translated into national and institutional regulations. While managerialism inhigher education systems is less predictive of ECAs' representation, low power distance in local culture appears to be importantfor fostering more inclusive regulations regarding ECAs' representation. At the institutional level, diverse practices are observedwith more diverse ECAs' representation at the lower hierarchical levels. The paper offers a set of recommendations for highereducation policy and practice regarding more inclusive representation of ECAs in higher education governance