Speaker
Abstract section 3: Content/method
The study adopts a qualitative research design informed by an interpretivist perspective. Data were collected through qualitative surveys and semi-structured interviews with senior EFL faculty members and educational leaders across different leadership levels in three major Qatari universities. The data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify patterns in how recognition practices are experienced and enacted.
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
The findings reveal two tensions shaping recognition practices in Qatari higher education: the contrast between academic autonomy and dependence on external validation within a hierarchical, prestige-oriented system, and the tension between formal, policy-based recognition and informal relational acknowledgement. While formal systems are often perceived as bureaucratic or opaque, personalised and informal recognition practices are experienced as more authentic and motivating. These findings contrast with Self-Determination Theory, which suggests external rewards may undermine autonomous motivation. In this context, recognition functions less as a controlling reward and more as a relational affirmation sustaining motivation, professional identity, and belonging among expatriate faculty.
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
This presentation addresses the following research question: What are the perceptions and lived experiences of educational leaders and senior EFL faculty regarding non-financial recognition practices in Qatari higher education institutions? It explores how recognition practices are understood and enacted across different leadership levels. The study aims to provide a context-sensitive understanding of recognition in hierarchical academic environments.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
Recognition has long been identified as an important motivational factor in the workplace, particularly within Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory. However, much of the existing research focuses on corporate or general organizational settings, with less attention to recognition practices in higher education, especially within EFL faculties. This presentation addresses this gap by examining how non-financial recognition practices enacted by leaders influence faculty motivation in Qatari higher education institutions. By engaging with debates in motivation theory, leadership studies, and higher education research, the study contributes to ongoing discussions about faculty engagement and the relational dynamics shaping motivation in hierarchical academic environments.
| Title | Faculty Appreciation and Motivation in Higher Education |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | College and university education |