Sustaining Professional Competence in Resource-Constrained Contexts: Perspectives of University Teachers in Balochistan

Abstract

The research examined the views and experiences of professional competence and sustainability among the faculty members of the Balochistan university, especially when they are in resource-restricted settings. The qualitative phenomenological technique was applied in which interviews were conducted with the sampled faculty in the university and the transcripts were subjected to thematic analysis. The findings showed that professional competence is much higher than the mastery in a field. It is also interested in ethical practice, reflective practice and a degree of contextual flexibility and student centered practice. The teachers showed their power in breaking the institutional barriers through peer collaboration in self-motivated organization and innovations of the teaching process. The findings identified deeply rooted systemic constraints; for example, inadequate infrastructure, constrained professional growth and absence of institutional recognition and reward systems. Respondents mentioned that for competence maintenance, there has to be presence of leadership, equity in resource distribution, and policy contexts that address local and grounded realities. It must be noted that, to improve the existing level of teacher competence in Balochistan, there is need for more systematic dependence at the institutional and policy levels, to achieve larger and more sustainable goals in higher education.