What makes professional teacher development in universities effective? Lessons from an international systematised review

The professional development landscape for university teachers has shifted from focusing solely on self-development, to maximising engagement with activities that are developmental, on-going and systematic. A systematised literature review reveals the composition, design and purpose of professional development for teachers within university settings is diverse. Drawing on literature from an international context, this review offers a broader perspective on what makes professional development effective, widening our understanding to include what teaching professionals themselves value and prioritise. Using 16 peer-reviewed articles between 2012 and 2022, the diversity of professional development is explored across 13 different international perspectives. The findings show that pedagogical collaboration, in the form of peer review teaching and the development of communities, is valued amongst university teachers due to their intimate dialogic nature. Factors such as relevance, structure and voluntary participation were themes discussed influencing the engagement and motivation for university teachers to self-develop and attend professional development. Finally, we acknowledge the variability between international universities, such as resources and cultural differences, and how this might influence the perception of professional development amongst university teachers.