Global Perspectives on Job Insecurity in Higher Education: Precarity in the Ivory Tower

Lara C. Roll (PhD in Work and Organizational Psychology) is a Senior Associate at PwC Belgium, an external researcher at KU Leuven (Belgium) and an extraordinary professor with the Optentia Research Unit at North-West University (South Africa). Her primary research focuses on workplace insecurity, particularly on how employees perceive the impact of technological advancements on their occupations. From 2022 until 2024 she has served as vice-president of Algorith e.V., a think tank comprised of young scholars to support research exchange and good digitalisation in Germany. Furthermore, from 2023 to 2024, she served as an expert panel member for the Flemish Minister for Economy, Innovation, Work, Social Economy, and Agriculture, contributing to the development of future scenarios on the role of technology in creating an inclusive job market.

Hans De Witte (PhD in Psychology) was Full Professor in Work Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the KU Leuven, Belgium (Research Group Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology). He is academically active since October 2023 as emeritus with assignment. He is also appointed as Extraordinary Professor at the North-West University of South Africa (Optentia Research Unit, Vanderbijlpark Campus). His research includes the study of the psychological consequences of job insecurity, unemployment, temporary employment and downsizing, as well as mobbing and burnout versus work engagement. He (co-)authored about 300 articles in English peer-reviewed journals, published 30 books (14 English and 16 in Dutch; most as co-editor) and is (co-)author of about 80 chapters in English academic books.

Sebastiaan Rothmann Sr. (PhD) is Professor in industrial/organizational psychology at the North-West University (Vanderbijlpark Campus) and Director of the Optentia Research Unit in South Africa. His research journey started with the topics of stress, burnout, and work engagement and has evolved toward prospering and flourishing of people in work and organizational contexts. People who prosper in work and organizational contexts are satisfied with their jobs; experience positive emotions; are energetic, learning, and dedicated; experience satisfaction.