美国高校教师体系介述及其启示

A Brief Introduction to the System of Teachers in USA and its Enlightenment

高校教师是一个国家高等教育发展的人才保障,高等教育的竞争在某种程度上就是高端人才的竞争。美国高等教育发达的主要原因之一在于其灵活的高校教师体系。美国高校教师划分终身轨道教职和非终身轨道教职两条轨道。前者包括助理教授、副教授和教授;后者包括讲师、实践导师、兼职教师以及助教。美国高校教师聘任采取"终身制"和"聘任制"相结合的人事制度。除了获得终身职务的副教授和教授,其他教师面临着"优胜劣汰"的压力。美国高校的"双轨制"和"淘汰制"有利于最大限度地发挥教师的专长,有利于充分调动教师的工作积极性。这对中国高校教师聘任在教师发展和教师考评两个方面提供启示。

The concept of Faculty is a form of personnel security in the development of a country＇s higher education system. To some extent,it can be said that the competition within the higher education sector is a competition of the top talents. One of the reasons for the strongly developed higher education system in the USA is its flexible faculty system,which includes both tenure-track and non tenure-track positions. The former includes assistant-,associate- and full-professorships,whilst the latter includes,lecturer,instructor,clinical faculty,adjunct and teaching assistants. In the faculty employment system,US universities adopt both lifetime tenure and short-term appointments. All teachers,except associate and full professors,face the prospect of losing their position. This dual-tracking system,which includes the elimination of under-performing teachers,in US universities has the advantages of identifying teachers＇ strong points and encouraging the development of their self-motivation. This paper aims to provide Chinese universities with some insight into the system of faculty development and employment.