What does ‘success’ in academia really mean? In this book, two scholars from distinct economic-political, ideological and institutional contexts observe, analyse and interpret the monolithic myth of the ‘triumphant academic’. Through penetrating case studies based on autoethnography, ranging from the ‘virtuous sage’ whose scholarship is deeply creative and morally anchored yet inescapably human, to the ‘cuckoo scholar’ who climbs to full professorship and leadership on the labour of others, the authors theorise academic success interculturally. Moving beyond simplistic judgements, this book reveals how success is a complex, unstable and often contextually contingent concept. The intercultural dialogue at its core illuminates how specific practices can be adopted, negotiated and resisted differently across global academia. By confronting the gap between performed reputation and substantive contribution, the authors problematise metrics of achievement. This is an essential read for scholars, administrators and anyone interested in higher education studies and academic migration, offering the critical, intercultural lenses needed not to condemn but to comprehend the intricate theatre of academic life and to forge more authentic and equitable paths forward.

Fred Dervin is a world-renowned interculturalist who has made a strong impact on Intercultural Communication Education and Research over the past 25 years. A Full Professor at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland, Dervin proposes original and refreshing approaches to understanding the politics of global interactions by challenging conventional paradigms and blending interdisciplinary insights. 

Wan Zhang is a lecturer at Minzu University of China. She is also a visiting scholar at the University of Helsinki, where she is currently completing her postdoctoral research. Her interests include the internationalisation of higher education and the notion of academic success. She has published on these topics in both Chinese and English. Her work aims to bridge academic inquiry with global engagement.