Society is in constant transformation, and technological progress advances at a frenetic pace. The easy access to information, often not entirely accurate, shapes behaviors and creates expectations.
Educating critical citizens has therefore become a permanent challenge: the teacher’s mission goes beyond teaching content; it also involves inspiring and guiding futures. Is continuous training truly up to this challenge?
Technology evolves at an impatient and unpredictable pace. Artificial intelligence is gaining increasing presence in both small and large everyday tasks, at personal and professional levels. Information is easily accessible and permanently available. Social media, once seen primarily as spaces for leisure, have also become learning and communication tools.
There is no denying that the excess of information, whether valid or not, reaches students with remarkable ease, influencing not only behaviors but also learning processes and even expectations regarding their academic paths.
The role of university professors extends far beyond the training of competent professionals. António Nóvoa, in an interview with Revista Docência do Ensino Superior, stated that “it is not only about giving good lectures, but about building solid learning pathways together with students.” Their mission is also a social one, contributing to the construction of a more sustainable world (see, for example, the Sustainable Development Goals).
Professors therefore face an extremely demanding role: forming active, critical, and responsible citizens, preparing them for an uncertain future, and simultaneously inspiring transformative learning experiences. It is essential to manage how students are shaped by their surroundings, balancing the pressure of technological innovation, pedagogical demands, and emerging learning profiles.
Being a teacher is therefore much more than transmitting knowledge. It is a commitment to society, one that is not formally declared but expressed through the responsibility of educating individuals capable of critical thinking and responsible action.
Continuous professional development is crucial to addressing these challenges. But how can it truly strengthen this mission, and how can it be effective and aligned with the context of higher education? According to the Priberam Dictionary of the Portuguese Language, a teacher is “someone who teaches an art, an activity, a science, a language; someone who transmits knowledge or instruction to others.” It is undeniable that teachers must master the content they teach, which can be deepened through academic programs, conferences, publications, and research groups.
However, mastering content is not enough. It is equally necessary to develop pedagogical competencies that enable professors to support students in building their own learning processes. This development is often less visible, more difficult to access, and frequently undervalued. Continuous training plays a fundamental role here, making the pedagogical dimensions of the profession explicit and valuing them as an integral part of the university professor’s professional identity.
According to UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report 2023, educational environments in which teachers have professional autonomy, institutional collaboration, and support for pedagogical innovation are essential to facing the challenges of the 21st century, promoting meaningful learning, and preparing critical citizens.
Several strategies can be promoted in higher education, such as classroom observation with constructive feedback, the use of reflective journals, courses, workshops, webinars, and communities of practice. These experiences allow the development of essential skills such as diversifying teaching methodologies, integrating digital technologies (including artificial intelligence!), strengthening pedagogical, relational, and communication skills, and fostering continuous reflection on teaching practices.
By investing in these dimensions, professors not only enrich their own practice but also strengthen their professional identity and prepare for emerging challenges. By training critical, creative, and responsible citizens, they actively contribute to the transformation of society.
In Portugal, several universities have already invested in structured programs of continuous pedagogical training for their teaching staff, such as the University of Aveiro, the University of Lisbon, and the Universidade Católica Portuguesa. These institutions rely on specialized teams that promote professional development and the sharing of good practices. This is a path that deserves to be valued and expanded, as it demonstrates a strong commitment to teaching quality and to preparing educators for the challenges of both the present and the future.
Investing in continuous training therefore means investing not only in the quality of higher education but also in the collective future. Every teacher who updates, reflects on, and renews their practice strengthens their role as a mentor and inspires students to transform knowledge into responsible, critical, and innovative action.
To be a university professor is, above all, to inspire futures. Continuous training should not be seen as an obligation but as an opportunity for growth, improvement, renewal, and affirmation of professional identity.
In a world in constant change, it is through continuous learning that professors remain up to date, creative, and confident in their role within both the university and society. More than teaching content, it is about building learning paths that transform lives and shape the future of society.
Micaela Martins, Learning and Innovation Specialist at CATÓLICA-LISBON