The title of reader in the United Kingdom and some universities in the Commonwealth of Nations, for example India, Australia and New Zealand, denotes an appointment for a senior academic with a distinguished international reputation in research or scholarship.
In the traditional hierarchy of British and other Commonwealth universities, reader (and principal lecturer in the new universities)[1] are academic ranks above senior lecturer and below Chaired Professor, recognising a distinguished record of original research.
Readers in the UK would correspond to the start of full professors in China and the United States.
In Sweden, and countries influenced by Sweden, docent is the highest academic title below that of (chair) Professor, but it is usually not an academic position in itself, but is more like a degree; in this sense it is somewhat comparable to the Habilitation found in certain countries in Continental Europe.
At some universities in Commonwealth countries, such as India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Malaysia, and in Ireland, the title associate professor is used in place of reader, and similarly ranks above senior lecturer and below (chair) professor.