The Influence of Professional Development Program Practices in Enhancing Academic Staff Competency (A Case of St. Augustine University of Tanzania)

The main purpose of this study is to examine the influence of professional development program prctices in enhancing academic staff competency in universities. Specifically, the study aims at examining how needs assessment helps in identifying knowledge gap among academic staff, determining the contribution of program design toward skills improvement, and finally finding out the effect of program evaluation on work abilities of academic staff. The study involved a total population of 274 academic staff out of which a sample size of 127 was selected on both purposive and random basis. Data collection deployed structured questionnaire to solicit data from academic staff and interview from heads of departments and the deputy vice chancellor for academic affairs. Data analysis was done both quantitatively using SPSS software and qualitatively using thematic analysis. The key findings of the study reveal that needs assessment, program design, and program evaluation significantly influence academic staff competency.