aau/PöcherThe professionalisation of research management has gained importance at Austrian universities in recent years. Third space professionals are situated at the intersection of academia and administration and contribute significantly to the success of research projects. In a bottom-up process (third-party funded), the Control of Networked Systems research group welcomed Barbara Pöcher as its first ever third space professional. Together with colleagues, she has recently published an innovative case study describing her field of work.
What does a third space professional do?
In short, a third space professional supports a research group in translating knowledge into terms that can be understood by industry and society. In my case, the role focuses on research management. This means that I provide support in initiating projects with industry and in commercialisation, such as spin-off initiatives.
Where does the term come from?
The term was introduced by Celia Whitchurch, a British university researcher, almost 20 years ago. Her work has contributed significantly to the discussion about new professional roles in higher education, particularly those that straddle the academic and administrative spheres.
How is this a new development?
The organisational structure of universities has always been binary, with two main areas: teaching and research. In recent decades, however, university operators and funding bodies have increasingly recognised the importance of promoting what is known as the third mission. This has led to a rise in the significance of the third space, which is situated at the interface between the academic and administrative worlds. This shift may ultimately spell the end of the traditional binary model.
Who benefits from the services of a third space professional?
Both the research group and other relevant areas, like industry and business partners, benefit. In our paper, we used the Control of Networked Systems research group as an example to show how this type of support can boost output. In my role, I watch out for calls from funding bodies and spend a lot of time networking. This allows me to approach contact persons for joint funding applications and compile relevant content for applications fairly quickly. The role of the researchers is to provide more in-depth content. In this way, we have been able to significantly increase the number of project applications in which we assume a coordinating role. I also contribute my expertise on project budgets.
What skills does a third space professional need?
SFirst and foremost, they are translators between different worlds. On the one hand, there are the needs of industrial and business partners, and on the other, the research interests of the scientific community. Funding bodies pursue their own goals, as do public institutions such as the Ministry of Science. Many of these players speak different languages. Ideally, third space professionals are fluent in all these languages and can help stakeholders understand each other and join forces. They also have skills in project and budget management and are knowledgeable about exploitation strategies.
Is the role of researchers also changing, or are third space professionals simply adding a new dimension?
Through our work, we help early-career researchers with whom we work closely to develop their professional expertise. They acquire transferable skills that they can use both within and outside academia. Armed with these methodological and communication skills, researchers can effectively transfer academic knowledge across disciplinary boundaries and into practice. This is an added bonus that also benefits research groups.
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About the person
Barbara Pöcher is a third space professional in the Control of Networked Systems research group and also serves as a project manager for an EU grant project in the Health Psychology unit. She earned her doctorate in economics and social sciences from the University of Klagenfurt in 2009 and has 15 years of experience in the research management of third-party funded projects. She shares her knowledge as a member of the teaching staff at the University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna, among other institutions.
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Latest publication
Barbara Pöcher, David F. J. Campbell, Stephan Weiss & Jan Steinbrener (2025). „Third Space“ und „Third Mission“: Eine innovative Fallstudie der Universität Klagenfurt. Zeitschrift für Hochschulentwicklung, https://doi.org/10.21240/zfhe/20-2/12.
Der Beitrag Filling the ‘third space’ between science and industry/society with professional expertise erschien zuerst auf University of Klagenfurt.