Characteristics of Developing Professional-Pedagogical Competency in University Teachers in the Context of Polish Experience

Abstract The article deals with the trends in the development of professional-pedagogical competency of university teachers in the Higher Education Area of the EU. It is emphasized that the creation of a global international educational environment requires a holistic technological strategy, whose primary tasks include analyzing the international educational space, standardizing technologies for professional development. The article also clarifies the concept of professional competency based on the analysis of international documents and activities of international organizations (The International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction; Die Internationale Gesselschaft fur Ingenieur Pedagogik; Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area, etc.). Specific attention is paid to the theoretical analysis of trends in the development of professional-pedagogical competency of university teachers in the context of the Polish experience. Various approaches of Polish scholars, practitioners and university teachers to defining the nature and content of competencies and competences are described (K. Denek, P. Kwolik, E. Wilczkowski, et al.). It is found that the study of teachers’ professional competency is an important scientific issue. In Poland, there is still no single approach to understanding the competences, whose formation and development are necessary for developing professional-pedagogical competency in university teachers in the context of higher education reforms (J. Bugaj, A. Kotusiewicz, R. KwaTnica, N. Kwiatkowska, A. Sajdak et al.). It is determined that the professional development of university teachers in the Republic of Poland, aimed at improving their professional-pedagogical competency, involves a system of professional retraining and advanced training, which are implemented under the conditions of both relevant educational institutions (universities) and directly in the field. It is concluded that the process of developing professional-pedagogical competency in Poland is considered as a complex multidimensional phenomenon, which ensures the continuing personal and professional growth and is an important component of the system of continuing education.