Research background and purpose:
Research and publications on academic staff participation in the university management remain limited, despite the recognized benefits of employee involvement in decision-making processes, particularly when employees are specialists (knowledge workers), as is the case with academics. The aim of the study is to identify the issues related to the participation of academic staff in the university management are examined and presented in the literature, and to determine whether they concern the key areas of university activity: student education, the development of science, and the formation of relations with the external environment.

Design/methodology/approach:
First, the paper explains the essence of employee participation in organizational management, its types, forms, and distinguishing features, as well as the benefits it brings to both organizations and employees. The possible manifestations of such participation in a university context are then discussed. Next, a rapid literature review of the Scopus and Web of Science databases, combined with an analysis of selected publications, was used as the research method. On this basis, key issues concerning academic staff participation in the university management addressed in the scientific literature were identified.

Findings:
Published research findings focus primarily on the benefits for the university, such as knowledge sharing, improved institutional performance, and the engagement of academic staff in its development and improvement through increased satisfaction with participation. This satisfaction is shaped by ethical leadership, support for employees’ professional development, encouragement to participate from supervisors, as well as human resource management strategies and tools.

Value added and limitations:
Key areas of academic staff participation in the university management were identified, together with research gaps and directions for future studies. It is recommended that universities authorities consider increasing academics’ direct participation in the university management, as knowledge workers can contribute their expertise and external relations to institutional development and adaptation to the modern economy. The main limitation of this study is its reliance on a rapid literature review and limited access to some full-text articles.