Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences, a teacher of the highest rank
Description
In much of the world, including most Commonwealth nations (such as the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, English-speaking Caribbean) and northern Europe, professor is reserved only for the most senior academics at a university, typically a department chair, or an awarded chair specifically bestowed recognizing an individual at a university or similar institution. A professor is a highly accomplished and recognized academic, and the title is in most cases awarded only after decades of scholarly work to senior academics. In the United States and Canada, the title of professor is granted to a larger percentage, about a quarter, of scholars with doctorate degrees (typically Ph.Ds) or equivalent qualifications who teach in four-year colleges and universities, and is used in the titles assistant professor and associate professor, which are not considered professor-level positions in many other countries, as well as for full professors. In some Commonwealth countries, the title Associate Professor is used in place of Reader, ranking above Senior Lecturer and below full Professors, and being of comparable rank to full Professors in North America.
Beyond holding the proper academic title, universities in many countries also append famous artists, athletes and foreign dignitaries with the title honorary professor, even if these persons don't have the academic qualifications typically necessary for professorship. However, such "professors" usually do not undertake academic work for the granting institution. In general, the title of professor is strictly used for academic positions rather those holding it on honorary basis.
Tasks
Professors are qualified experts who generally perform the following:
manage the teaching, research and publications in their departments (in countries where a professor is head of a department),
conduct lectures and seminars in their specialties (i.e., they "profess"), such as the fields of mathematics, science, humanities, social sciences, education, literature, music or the applied fields of engineering, design, medicine, law, or business;
perform advanced research in their fields.
provide pro bono community service, including consulting functions (such as advising government and nonprofit organizations);
teach campus-based or online courses adopting instructional technology;
mentor graduate students in their academic training;
conduct administrative or managerial functions, usually at a high level (e.g. deans, heads of departments, librarians, etc.);
assess students in their fields of expertise.[citation needed]
Online courses are often taught by adjunct instructors, with advanced degrees. Adjunct instructors are often not involved in program design, accreditation reports, or many of the other duties that fall within the purview of tenured, or more senior faculty members. Tenured professors also offer courses online.
Other roles of professorial tasks depend on the institution, its legacy, protocols, place (country), and time. For example, professors at research-oriented universities in the U.S., Canada and, generally, at European universities, are promoted primarily on the basis of research achievements and external fund-raising success. Depending on the professor's professional status, expertise, and tenure, he or she may also serve as a public intellectual, offering opinions to media and in other forums on current events, controversies, and other complex matters that may require erudite illumination.