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The pressures brought about by the COVID-19 global pandemic in 2020 have amplified the significance of academic resilience and highlight the importance of a shared insights into academics' experiences. The responses to academic work within this context has received little research attention despite its universality during the pandemic. Failing to recognise, or ‘invisibilising’ the roles and needs of academics during a pandemic, is a significant concern. This chapter explores this uncharted terrain, and presents stories of resilience – being a postdoc in a foreign country (de los Reyes), negotiating (yet another) contract (Mahat), navigating research in a different context (Cohrssen), and digital engagement in academia (Blannin) – from academics in different career stages and global contexts. These stories provide points of reflection for those navigating the complex world of academia during these uncertain times.

After years of promoting gender equality and diversity, women in academia are still failing to break the glass ceiling. The gap is, however, getting smaller, and increasingly, there are many programs within universities that offer strategies to develop academic women into leaders who have a profound impact in their institutions, communities, and wider society. This chapter presents examples of strategies – such as mentoring and sponsorship (Hardiman), finding an authentic and moral voice (Howell), teaching as an international academic (Mateo-Babiano), and leadership (Mahat) – through stories from women academics who are currently navigating the complex world of academia. These stories and strategies provide opportunities for other women to reflect about how they invest in themselves and transform the way they lead, influence, and innovate in challenging academic contexts.

This chapter shares the challenges that scholars experienced during the pandemic and their responses to them. We find that participants responded to complex work and home challenges through ethics of grit and perseverance. Offering a caution against grit mindsets, we argue that academics would benefit from opportunities to develop fuller forms of resilience. To do so, we recommend that higher education institutions co-construct locally and culturally relevant conceptualisations of resilience and enact trauma-informed practice to better support academic resilience in their faculties.

This book was not borne out of strong ideological feminist ideas or with grandeur aims to change the system. It was conceived as a celebration of the many academic women who have contributed and continue to contribute to make academia a home where high quality and impactful scholarship is observed, where teaching and learning is celebrated, and leadership and service to the discipline is honored. It is a celebration of how far women have come and continue to thrive in the pursuit of research, education, and scholarship. In this concluding chapter, I synthesize the key insights and take-aways from each chapter – academic stories and narratives that can support the modern female academic to energize, motivate, inspire, and thrive in academia.

Academics around the world continue to demonstrate strength to overcome the initial hurdles of COVID-19. But resilient academics show sustained engagement despite the continuing changes and uncertainties during these ongoing challenging times. In this concluding chapter, we synthesise the key takeaways from each chapter – narratives that may support academics at every career stage to feel energised, motivated and inspired in times of adversity. We share critical insights and strategies that may assist academics forge ahead in a post-pandemic world. In doing so, we advance the Academic Resilience Model that may help academics – and institutions – thrive in times of adversity.

Moving up the career ladder has its rewards – more money, of course. However, in academia, it could also mean more time and autonomy to pursue your research interests and greater ability to influence the direction of your department and your field. However, getting a promotion takes time and effort, mixed in with a pinch of luck and willingness, while keeping your day job ticking over. Amidst all this, you also need to ensure you are across the process and criteria – slightly different at every university and different yet again in institutions overseas. This chapter will demystify the process by providing you with a useful overview across global contexts, tips, and tested techniques for making yourself promotion ready.