Stakeholders’ perspectives on academic professional development: A case study of a university in Vietnam using positioning theory analysis

Academic professional development (APD) involves multiple stakeholders. However, not all of their voices are presented in the literature. This thesis explores how academics, academic administrators, and academic developers at a Vietnamese regional university perceive APD. The qualitative case study reported in this thesis generated data from 36 semi-structured interviews and policy documents. From a positioning theoretical perspective, this study has potential to (re-)conceptualize APD, and extend our understanding of APD, its significance, and success. This study also illustrates the value of positioning theory in APD research, and potentially helps to inform academics and higher education institutions in shaping APD.