Understanding and Navigating the US Higher Education System

Hosted by Ramazan Güngör, PhD, School of Graduate Studies, Assistant Dean for Professional Development

The U.S. higher education system is incredibly diverse, with many types of institutions that shape faculty work, research expectations, and hiring in different ways. This session will help you make sense of that landscape, enabling you to plan your next career steps with confidence.

What We’ll Cover:1. Institution types: Community colleges, regional public universities, research-intensive institutions (R1/R2), liberal arts colleges, and for-profit institutions, and how each serves its students and communities.
2. How they operate: The essentials of governance, accreditation, and funding, and how these structures influence mission and priorities.
3. Career implications: How teaching, research, tenure and promotion, and service vary across institution types, and what that means for your CV, portfolio, and job search strategy.

You’ll Leave With
1. A clear visual map of U.S. higher education and how different institutions compare.
2. A short self-assessment to help you identify which environments best fit your values, strengths, and long-term goals.

Registration link / event website:
https://forms.gle/wPKhm7ixZNFoieGQ8

For questions, email Ramazan Güngör at rg835@rutgers.edu