Administrative Support and Implementation Barriers in University Teacher Professional Development: A Qualitative Case Study in China

Abstract

This study examined how university administrators support teacher professional development and how implementation barriers shape that support. A qualitative single-case study was conducted at a public university in Zhejiang Province, China, during the 2025–2026 academic year. Twelve purposively selected administrators representing university-level and academic-unit leadership participated. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and document review, and then analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three themes were developed. First, the professional development portfolio prioritized activities that were practical, internally deliverable, and immediately applicable, particularly technology integration and the dissemination of educational research and trends; leadership development and international exchange were less prominent. Second, financial provision, protected time, and career-related support were visible and comparatively well established, whereas sustained mentoring and other forms of practice-embedded instructional support were less consistent. Third, misalignment with institutional priorities, difficulty sustaining programs, budget and time constraints, resistance to change, weak monitoring, and limited recognition operated as an interconnected system rather than as isolated problems. The findings suggest that funding and participation opportunities are necessary but insufficient when instructional follow-through, monitoring, and recognition remain fragmented. A coordinated institutional approach that aligns professional development with strategic and teacher needs, protects time and resources, strengthens mentoring, and recognizes professional learning is therefore required.