The outlines on University Faculty professionalization: Klaipeda University case.
The outlines on University Faculty professionalization: Klaipeda University case.

Summary/Abstract: This paper analyzes the professionalization of University faculty, Klaipėda University faculty approach on their activities (structure) within the context of the development of professionalism. According to foreign countries researches, the majority of University faculty characteristic activities were determined and analyzed: educational activity, research, supervision of MD and PhD students’ research work, services rendered at the university and outside, also professional development. Attention is drawn to the fact that the multi-dimensional structure of University faculty activities implies their new professionalism / professionalization needs. Therefore, there is a need to scan University faculty professional development opportunities. This article aims on the basis of theoretical and empirical study insights in different countries to analyze Klaipėda University faculty operational structure, linking it to the professional development needs. The other objective of this article is to encourage research and the detailed academic discussions on today‘s University faculty performance structure, transformations, the opportunities of activities mutual harmony, professionalism, professionalization development and so on. The article consists of two parts: the first part - University faculty activity structure in the contexr of professionalization, the second part – the opportunities for the improvement of the University faculty professionalism.. The first part of the article analyzes foreign countries and Klaipėda University carried out faculty activity structure (activity fields) studies. They provide information that the various universities abroad manifest similar tendencies: the university faculty activities are rather qualitative than quantitative nature transformations. The faculty‘s organizational structure consists of the following fields of activity: educational activities, research, supervision of MD and PhD students’ research work, services provided at the University and outside the University, and professional development. After the study at the Klaipėda University, it was alleged that some faculty activities are considered priority (for example, research), and the other are given inferior attention. It is therefore problematic to speak of a professional university faculty professionalization in the holistic sense of professionalism / professionalization. Apart from the fact that the majority of Lithuanian university faculty is self-educated in the sense of high school didactic. However, the real state of university faculty professionalism and professionalization can only be provided by a more detailed research. The second part provides the University faculty’s professional development guidelines on the aspect of activities areas and on typical operations situations aspects. This section also highlights the fact that the faculty professionalization gaps can be reduced or eliminated after the creation of the University Professionalization center providing services for the newly recruited and the existing faculty. Conclusions are drawn on the basis of theoretical and empirical insights.

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