When Recognition Comes Late: Reflections on Academic Resilience, Institutional Setbacks, and the Long Road to Professorship

Abstract

Academic promotion is often regarded as the culmination of scholarly achievement. Yet the official announcement of promotion rarely reflects the invisible years of disappointment, self doubt, perseverance, and personal growth that precede it. This reflective commentary examines my own journey towards promotion to full professor after three applications over eight years. My first application in 2013 was not supported at the departmental level, while my second application in 2016 was discontinued at the faculty level because the minimum institutional performance score required for promotion was not achieved. Although these decisions were professionally discouraging and emotionally painful, they became turning points that reshaped my understanding of resilience, academic identity, and scientific purpose. My third application, submitted on 2 January 2019, culminated in promotion on 1 May 2021 after approximately thirty months of evaluation. Rather than focusing on administrative procedures, this paper reflects on the psychological and professional lessons learned from delayed recognition. I argue that resilience in academia extends beyond publication metrics and research funding. It encompasses the ability to preserve scientific integrity, continue contributing to society, and remain committed to knowledge creation despite repeated institutional setbacks. Ultimately, the greatest achievement was not becoming a professor but becoming the person who could endure the journey towards professorship.

Keywords: Academic Resilience; Higher Education; Promotion; Perseverance; Academic Identity; Reflective Commentary

Citation

Chee Kong Yap. When Recognition Comes Late: Reflections on Academic Resilience, Institutional Setbacks, and the Long Road to Professorship. WebLog J Depress Anxiety. wjda.2026. i0503. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22647421