BRITISH AND AMERICAN ACADEMICS IN RETIREMENT

Abstract

This study investigated the retirement of academics from two “old civic” universities in the United Kingdom, and compared the findings to those of recent studies of retired academics from a major state university in the United States. Results showed that a large majority of both groups of academics planned for retirement, were positive about retirement, and participated in a wide variety of activities during retirement. Significant differences were also found between those two groups of academics: (1) American academics made financial plans for retirement more frequently and at an earlier age than did British academics, (2) British academics reported that loss of facilities and professional services was a negative aspect of retirement more frequently than did American academics, and (3) British academics became involved more frequently in leisure activities after retirement than did American academics.