Faculty at the Forefront: Innovation and Inclusion in Higher Education Teaching

In recognition of International Teachers’ Day (October 5th), this Research Topic highlights the central role of faculty, instructors, and academic staff in shaping equitable and high-quality higher education systems worldwide. Beyond transmitting knowledge, higher education teachers play a critical role in advancing diversity, fostering inclusion and belonging, and equipping students with the skills needed to navigate rapidly changing societies and labor markets.

Yet faculty across the globe face increasing demands: adapting to new technologies, addressing diverse student needs, responding to accountability pressures, and balancing their own professional wellbeing. As higher education expands and diversifies, research on how to best prepare, support, and sustain those who teach in colleges, universities, and professional schools is both timely and essential.



This Research Topic seeks to bring together international perspectives on teaching, faculty development, and innovation in higher education. We particularly welcome contributions that address:



• Inclusive Pedagogies and Sense of Belonging: Approaches that enhance diversity, equity, and belonging in classrooms, campuses, and online higher education environments.

• Faculty Development and Professional Learning: Research on effective models of preparing and supporting higher education teachers, including professional development, mentoring, and leadership training.

• Innovative Teaching and Learning Practices: Studies of active learning, problem-based learning, concept mapping, and technology-enhanced pedagogy that improve student engagement and outcomes.

• Policy and Systemic Issues: Analyses of institutional, national, or international policies that shape faculty work, resources, equity, and sustainability in higher education.

• Workforce and Wellbeing: Investigations of faculty identities, labor conditions, workload, and wellbeing, and their effects on teaching and student success.



This Research Topic offers a global platform for advancing understanding of how higher education can support and empower its teachers, and through them, its students. We particularly encourage:

• Comparative and cross-national studies examining faculty development, pedagogy, and inclusion across diverse higher education systems.

• Practice-based research and program evaluations highlighting innovative teaching approaches and faculty support models.

• Interdisciplinary contributions exploring intersections of pedagogy, diversity, inclusion, policy, and organizational leadership.

• Research on teaching and learning that connects directly to faculty roles and student experiences in higher education.

By gathering diverse perspectives, this collection seeks to honor and amplify the contributions of higher education teachers worldwide, while offering new insights to support SDG 4: Quality Education in postsecondary and tertiary contexts.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Registered Report
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Higher Education, Faculty Development, Inclusive Pedagogy, Teaching Innovation, Academic Wellbeing

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.