Higher education lecturer
Also called reader, professor, HE lecturer
Higher education lecturers instruct students who have obtained an upper secondary education diploma in their own specialised field of study, which is predominantly academic in nature. They may have job titles such as senior lecturer or professor. They work with their teaching and research assistants for the preparation of lectures and exams, for grading papers and exams, for leading laboratory practices, and for leading review and feedback sessions for the students. They also conduct academic research in their respective field, publish their findings and liaise with their academic colleagues.
What you'd do
University and higher education teachers · ILO- Designing and modifying curricula and preparing courses of study in accordance with requirements
- Preparing and delivering lectures and conducting tutorials, seminars and laboratory experiments
- Stimulating discussion and independent thought among students
- Supervising, where appropriate, experimental and practical work undertaken by students
- Administering, evaluating and marking examination papers and tests
- Directing research of post-graduate students or other members of department
- Researching into and developing concepts, theories and operational methods for application in industrial and other fields
- Preparing scholarly books, papers or articles
- Participating in departmental and faculty meetings and in conferences and seminars
- Indoors
- Sitting most of the day
- Constant contact with people, including the public
- Good freedom to decide
- Often more than 40 hours a week
- Deadlines most weeks
- Some repetitive tasks
Will there be jobs?
Limited prospectsFewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.
Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.
What does it pay?
About averagePay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,700 a month (Hungary) to €9,900 (Luxembourg), before tax.
Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.
Among professionals in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Professionals · Eurostat
What do I need to study?
Usually a degreeA degree in education science is the usual route.
823 institutions in the EU offer education bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.
Will AI change it?
LittleAI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.
Average task score 0.37 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).
See the score for each of the 9 tasks
Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for university and higher education teachers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).