Five ways to centre faculty development at your university

In this era of rapid change, universities are facing many challenges, including student retention, institutional reputation and financial sustainability. But while many turn to shiny new buildings, the implementation of AI chatbots or marketing overhauls, one of the most powerful tools for long-term success remains the surprisingly underused possibilities offered by certified faculty development.

This isn’t just a call for more workshops or online training. We’re talking about something much bigger: reframing faculty development as the central nervous system of a university. It’s time to move this from the margins of marvellous possibility to institutional planning to its very core.

The invisible architecture of student success

When universities talk about infrastructure, the conversation usually turns to physical spaces, IT systems or digital platforms. 

We rarely hear about the “infrastructure” of teaching quality. And yet teaching, the very method by which knowledge is shared, made engaging and adapted to student needs, is arguably a university’s most powerful lever. 

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Good teaching drives student retention, improves learning outcomes and enhances graduate success. In turn, this boosts institutional reputation and secures long-term financial stability.

When institutions treat teaching quality as an afterthought – or worse, as a mere individual hobby – rather than a shared institutional asset, they undercut their own strategic potential.

Aligning faculty development with institutional goals

The most effective faculty development initiatives are not those that just provide training, they are those strategically embedded into a broader teaching and learning framework. This framework must align with institutional missions, whether this involves improving graduation rates, closing equity gaps or enhancing digital readiness.

At our university, a deliberate shift has taken place. Faculty development is now baked into strategic planning. We see it not as support, but as strategy.

A strong teaching and learning strategy includes:

• Pedagogical innovation, grounded in evidence, not passing trends
• Formal development pathways, such as PgCAPHE (Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice in Higher Education) qualifications
• Informal development options, such as peer-led learning networks
• A student-centred mindset, informed by data on engagement, performance, and satisfaction
• Quality assurance systems, that foster reflection, improvement and accountability

Why smaller institutions have the most to gain

For small- and medium-sized universities, often functioning without massive endowments or global name recognition, faculty development can be a competitive equaliser.

A world-class lecture theatre doesn’t guarantee world-class teaching. But a motivated, professionally trained faculty member, using inclusive and evidence-based methods, can transform a classroom, boost student success and distinguish an institution in an otherwise crowded market.

This is what we call pedagogical intimacy – the ability to deliver education that is personalised, responsive and high-impact. It doesn’t require prestige. It requires commitment.

Five moves to make faculty development your competitive edge

Here’s how higher education leaders can turn faculty development from a nice-to-have into a can’t-do-without:

1. Make faculty development strategic, not sporadic

Move beyond ad-hoc workshops. Instead, develop structured, long-term programmes like the PgCAPHE. These programmes formalise teaching excellence, offer transferable qualifications and embed reflective practice.

Most importantly, they help shift your identity from subject-matter expert to educator-scholar – someone who can innovate, evaluate and adapt.

2. Tie teaching excellence to promotions and rewards

What institutions value, they reward. So if you want faculty to invest in their teaching, make sure excellence in this area counts toward career advancement. This means recognising curriculum leadership, inclusive practices, digital pedagogy and mentorship alongside traditional research outputs.

3. Support all faculty equitably

Part-time staff and early-career academics are often the front line of student experience, but they’re also the most overlooked when it comes to development opportunities. Ensure equitable access to training, mentoring and advancement pathways for all educators, not just a tenured elite.

4. Build leadership literacy around teaching

Faculty development won’t stick unless senior leadership understands and champions it. This means deans, provosts and department heads should be included in development programmes themselves, learning how to lead pedagogical innovation, interpret learning data and model good practice.

If leadership views teaching as a ”soft skill”, transformation will stall. Cultural change starts at the top.

5. Measure what matters

Finally, institutions must connect the dots between faculty development and student outcomes. 

This involves robust learning analytics and feedback loops, not just attendance logs. Ask yourself: are students more engaged? Are retention rates improving? Are graduates better prepared?

Without data, development efforts risk becoming performative, rather than transformative.

The retention reputation-revenue cycle

When faculty development is done right, it triggers a powerful ripple effect:

• Students feel more engaged, leading to better attendance and performance
• Retention rates improve, which strengthens revenue and lowers recruitment costs
• Graduate outcomes rise, enhancing the university’s reputation and attracting new students

Embracing change over compliance

The future of higher education will be shaped by demographic shifts, digital disruption and advancing learner expectations. Institutions that treat faculty development as compliance, tick-box training to satisfy regulators, will be left behind.

Alternatively, those who treat it as a capacity-building and proactive investment in future-ready teaching, will thrive.

Faculty members who are trained in inclusive practices, digital pedagogy and AI-enhanced learning will be far better prepared to adapt to change and support diverse student cohorts. These aren’t soft skills. They’re survival skills.

Certified Faculty Development is a catalyst

We often say that students are at the heart of higher education. But the real beating heart of student success is the faculty who teach them. And those faculty need more than content knowledge – they need support, recognition and structured development to truly thrive.

For small- and medium-sized universities, faculty development helps build institutional identity, competitiveness and sustainability in ways that new facilities and bold slogans cannot.

Ultimately, investing in teaching is an act of institutional courage. It takes longer than cutting a ribbon. But it delivers deeper, more lasting results.

So here’s the challenge: the next time budgets are being drafted or strategies revised, ask not what you’re building, but who you’re building up? The answer may well determine your institution’s future.

Top tips for universities seeking to transform faculty development:

1. Start small but plan big: pilot structured programmes with clear outcomes.
2. Build leadership buy-in early: include deans and senior leaders in faculty development discussions.
3. Collect and showcase impact data: share success stories and student outcomes widely.
4. Certify faculty development: get an international label with Advance HE’s PgCAPHE.
5. Reward teaching like research: embed excellence into promotion and review criteria.
6. Foster community: use faculty development to break silos and build interdisciplinary teaching networks.

Salah Al-Majeed is dean of the School of Science and Engineering, and Hayat El Asri is a faculty member at the School of Business Administration, both at Al Akhawayn University, Morocco.

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