Recently, I have been invited as a presenter and panel member the Riks-P conference in Stockholm, as well as online, presenting for employees working at the Swedish Work Environment Authority. The topic for these presentations has been AI, robotization and the work environment.
In academia, we refer to these kind of job duties as ‘the 3rd duty’. For those of you that are not familiar with this concept, I’ll try to explain it briefly. Typically, it is stated that academians have three job duties; 1) Research; 2) Teaching; 3) Academic service.
The 3rd duty – Academic service encompasses various responsibilities that contribute to the functioning and development of the academic community and society at large. This can include serving on committees within the institution, participating in academic governance, reviewing manuscripts for journals, organizing conferences or workshops, engaging in community outreach and public engagement activities, and providing expert advice to policymakers or industry professionals etc.
So, what is the benefit of the 3rd duty? Actually, the 3rd duty offers several benefits at both individual and institutional levels. These involve e.g. professional networking, reputation, recognition, personal and professional growth, as well as institutional development and the fulfilling of social responsibility. In other words, it is a good idea to not forget about the 3rd duty!
Best,
Magdalena Stadin, PhD