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ABSTRACT
The role of Australian academics is undergoing a period of rapid change as the Federal Government attempts to restructure both the higher education system and the economy. With these changes in role comes a need for the continuing professional development of academics. This paper gives details of a study which adopted a competency‐based approach to identify the job requirements, skill‐deficiencies and training needs of one group of Australian academics. This group ‐ staff from the Business faculties of (former) Colleges of Advanced Education ‐ is of particular interest because its members are experiencing uncommonly rapid growth and change. In general, the respondents tended to rate (a) teaching skills as more important than research skills, (b) their own teaching skills as more highly developed than their research competencies, and (c) their desire for training as greatest with respect to several specific research skills. Some potential barriers to the successful implementation of professional development programmes are discussed.