Establishing A Community of Practice for Academic Faculty in Higher Education: A Framework for Collaboration and Professional Growth

Abstract

The objective of this research is to study the factors affecting the creation of a Community of Practice (CoP) to promote research conducting among novice lecturers. The participants consist of three novice lecturers from Faculty of Education. The research employed semistructured interviews and focus group discussion as research instruments. The findings reveal that the challenges faced by novice lecturers in research, including limited exposure to advanced methodologies, time constraints from teaching and administrative duties, and difficulties in academic writing and publishing in English. Resource limitations, such as insufficient funding and restricted access to analytical tools, further hinder progress. Despite these obstacles, lecturers remain motivated by professional growth and the desire to contribute to knowledge. The findings emphasize the need for institutional support through mentorship, training workshops, flexible workloads, and collaborative networks to enhance research capacity and productivity.