The influence of experience on the research competencies of university professors

Abstract

Implementation of EHEA, among others, motivates a transforming process in universities and promotes changes in the professor’s tasks. This events, promote changes to which the university professor has to adapt, meaning this to acquire and to develop new competencies to respond correctly to new professional tasks that are demanded. To design training plans in accordance to the new training needs, and to establish referents in accreditation, selection and promotion protocols appear to be necessary to define the new competences profile professors have to face in order to develop their teaching, research and management tasks suitably, and according to their professional settings and professional development stage.

A qualitative research was developed to define the emerging competence profile. Quantitative and qualitative methods were mixed as well as different tools (questionnaires, interviews and focus groups) and sources (faculty, experts and students).

This article only shows the results obtained from professors (expert and novice) in the 4 research competencies analyzed (design, development and assessment of projects; organization and management of scientific events; development of scientific material; communication and dissemination of scientific knowledges) and the most significant dates of the 30 competency units that compose them.

Results show significant differences of self-perception of current competency domain level between novice faculty and expert faculty. These results help us to establish the priority training areas to the faculty according to their professional development stage.