In a rapidly changing higher education environment the role of the academic manager, bridging the
academic worlds of teaching and research and the administrative worlds of resource allocation,
coordination and control, is seen as critical in ensuring that the institutions they work for achieve
their goals. This research study focuses on the world of the Academic Manager, as experienced and
perceived within their individual contexts, by a selected number of academic managers working at
the University of the Witwatersrand in 2012. Through in depth interviews, the research explores
how academic managers are adapting to the changing environment in which they work, the coping
strategies they have adopted, the support available to them and the skill sets required.