Teachers’ quality in higher education: A global challenge

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On this World Teachers’ Day, the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education would like to make a contribution on one of the most persistent and crucial challenges in tertiary education: the quality of university teaching.

For over a century, improving university teaching has been a constant aspiration of educational reformers worldwide. Despite numerous initiatives—from the introduction of student evaluations to the implementation of innovative educational technologies—the quality of teaching remains a weak point in many higher education systems globally.

While academic research has flourished, becoming a pillar of institutional reputation, teaching is often relegated to the background. This disparity poses a fundamental paradox: institutions designed to educate often do not prioritize the quality of teaching itself.

Students around the world agree: the quality of teaching is crucial to their educational experience. Research supports this perception, demonstrating that active and participatory learning produces better results than traditional passive methods. However, implementing these effective practices remains a global challenge.

Several factors contribute to this situation:

1. Incentive systems that prioritize research over teaching.
2. Lack of adequate pedagogical training for university teachers.
3. Institutional evaluation metrics that do not adequately reflect the quality of teaching.
4. Limited resources for systematic observation and improvement of teaching practices.

On this International Teachers’ Day, we call on the global educational community to reimagine and revitalize university teaching:

1. Reevaluation of Priorities: We urge institutions and governments to reconsider how excellence in teaching is valued and rewarded.
2. Investment in Teacher Development: We advocate for robust pedagogical training programs for university teachers, adapted to diverse cultural and educational contexts.
3. Meaningful Metrics: We propose the development of evaluation systems that genuinely capture the quality of teaching, beyond traditional metrics.
4. International Collaboration: We encourage the global exchange of best practices in university teaching, recognizing and learning from the diversity of approaches in different cultures.
5. Student Empowerment: We recommend actively involving students in the process of improving teaching, valuing their perspectives and experiences.

Improving the quality of university teaching is a complex challenge that requires sustained and collaborative effort worldwide. At a time when public trust in higher education is declining in many parts of the world, focusing on teaching excellence is not just an educational necessity, but also a social and economic imperative.

The World Teachers’ Day reminds us of the crucial role educators play in shaping the global future. By prioritizing and improving the quality of university teaching, we not only enrich the educational experience of millions of students, but also strengthen the foundation for social progress, innovation, and intercultural understanding. For this reason, we at the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education will do everything in our power to promote the development of higher education institutions’ capacities to provide pedagogical support to teachers and to accompany them in their commitment to pedagogical innovation.

Francesc Pedró
Director, UNESCO IESALC