Is it ok to love teaching students more than research? Is it possible to carve out an academic career that focusses primarily on teaching rather than research? We see many DPhil students and research staff who get more of a buzz from working with students than their research. Perhaps, for you, teaching appeals because you enjoy working with people, or sparking a light-bulb moment for your student, or perhaps you love sharing ideas about your subject and creating a tangible impact. Understanding the appeal of this side of your academic work can unlock a host of potential career paths, both within higher education and beyond it, in the classroom and in other education-related roles.

In this session we’ll explore a multitude of career paths relating to a love of education. We’ll answer the question: Is it possible to carve out an academic career that focusses primarily on teaching? And we’ll look at the potential to transition to a myriad of other teaching roles. Then we’ll broaden the discussion into alternative career areas that have education values at their heart and build on the research skills that you already have such as education policy, advisory and development roles and more.

Join Dr Abby Evans, one-time academic, ex-high school teacher and current careers professional, for this information-filled session on alternatives to academia in the education sector.

The 2026 conference booklet will be available closer to the event.

This event is part of:

Careers Beyond Academia: Options and Pathways for Researchers
The careers conference for Oxford University research staff and DPhil students
Monday 23 March – Thursday 26 March 2026 online and in-person in Oxford. The careers fair will take place at the Careers Service, 56 Banbury Road, OX2 6PA. Register for the fair here