Exploring foreign-born teachers’ (FBTs’) professional development in higher education institutions in Finland
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22422076 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Anne Tornberg (0000-0001-7273-9857, Tampere University, corresponding author), Vesa Korhonen (0000-0001-5265-4549, Tampere University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 299-319 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-03 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Research in Post-Compulsory Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1359-6748 • E-ISSN: 1747-5112 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/13596748.2026.2647626 |
| OpenAlex | W7154598075 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 60 |
The aim of this article is to explore foreign-born teachers’ (FBTs’) professional development (PD) in higher education institutions in Finland. The uniqueness of the study comes from its narrative research approach, which gives voice to FBTs, who are situated on the edges of the faculty of the universities of applied sciences (UASs). The research data consist of narratives written by 18 participants from 13 different UAS organisations in Finland. Three typical thematic categories were identified from their narratives: managed by myself, shadowed by inequity, and gradual progression. These emergent themes from the narratives highlighted barriers to FBTs’ PD, such as prejudice in their work communities, and the importance of reflective practices in their work as teachers. In the FBTs’ PD, the positive effects of their immediate communities of practice (composed of colleagues and students) support the FBTs’ careers as teachers. Additionally, FBTs’ PD paths highlight the importance of one’s own activities to survive and to cope with the teaching work to benefit student learning. The results revealed the need for appropriate leadership practices that emphasise supporting elements, such as mentoring.
Continuing professional development · Higher education · Professional development · Global Education and Multiculturalism · Higher Education Governance and Development · International Student and Expatriate Challenges
Applied Thematic Analysis
Communities of Practice
Narrative Interviewing
Internationalisation and migrant academics
On Critical Reflection
The changing landscape of higher education internationalisation – for better or worse?
Formal and informal learning in the workplace
Informal learning in the workplace
Informal and Incidental Learning
Key issues impeding the integration of international faculty at Japanese universities
Reflections on professional learning
Communities of Practice and Social Learning Systems
Education at a Glance 2021
English-medium instruction in the Australian higher education
Overworked and Underpaid
Elaborating a model of teacher professional growth
Higher education transformation towards lifelong learning in a digital era – a scoping literature review
Globalization and internationalization as frameworks for higher education research
Throwaway knowledge, useful skills or a source for wellbeing? Outlining sustainability of workplace learning situations
Creativity through self-directed learning
Improving Impact Studies of Teachers' Professional Development
What is Narrative Research
Life as Narrative
Critical Narrative Inquiry
Reflections on the Narrative Research Approach
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |