EUA outlines priorities for universities in encouraging staff development

As the debate in the EU around competitiveness in higher education emphasises the need for highly skilled teachers, a report from the European University Association (EUA) published on 09/03/2026 argues that meaningful professional development for academics is essential to enhancing "the quality and relevance of higher education provision".

The report from the EUA's Learning and Teaching Thematic Peer Group, titled "Enhancing teacher engagement and expanding staff development opportunities", explains the challenge in motivating academics to participate in staff development and recommends priorities and strategies that universities should adopt to combat and overcome this challenge.

The report finds that there is a "lack of parity of esteem" between teaching and research missions, resulting in academics neglecting efforts to innovate and improve their teaching methods in favour of research endeavours.

Three priorities are outlined as essential in motivating academics to participate in staff development:
• recognising the key role of quality teaching, as well as efforts undertaken to…