The driving force behind this project is to comprehensively investigate (both theoretically and empirically) the achievement goals of university instructors. A wealth of research on students and school teachers, as well as preliminary findings on university instructors suggests that individual motivations should play an important role in university instructors’ personal and professional lives. The current project aims to further investigate this by: developing a theoretical model describing the achievement goals of university instructors, analysing the effects of these goals (for example, regarding their learning behaviors, subjective well-being, and teaching quality), and examining potential moderators as well as the personal and contextual conditions of these effects.

For these purposes, several empirical studies are planned, of which a number are completed (see ‘selected publications’ section) or currently underway. These studies are expected to provide valuable information about the importance of achievement goals for explaining the learning and teaching motivations of university instructors, and in turn, will allow us to better understand and support this population.