This study investigates the motivational factors driving Algerian female university teachers to pursue academic careers. In recent years, an increasing number of women have entered the higher education sector, a trend that appears to be closely linked to evolving social and professional dynamics. The research focuses on three primary sources of motivation among these educators. A comprehensive literature review was conducted, drawing on established theories of motivation to frame the study. In this research, we adopt Self-Determination Theory (Deci They exhibit high levels of proficiency in teaching, research, and student supervision, coupled with a strong sense of efficacy and mastery with average scores above 80%. For the Relatedness, they experience a strong sense of belonging within a supportive academic community, where collegial relationships are frequently characterized by camaraderie and mutual recognition with average scores above 80%too. These foundational elements enable 80% of the participants to experience a genuine sense of professional fulfilment, despite persistently substandard institutional, material, and social working conditions. Nevertheless, this high level of intrinsic motivation must not be mistaken for unlimited resilience. It coexists with a stark lack of institutional recognition, inadequate working environments (e.g., absence of personal offices, overcrowded classrooms, unsanitary facilities, and safety concerns), perceived inequities in remuneration and benefits, and a gendered career gap: although women constitute the majority among associate professors, they remain significantly underrepresented among full professors and in leadership roles. This paradox, highly committed professionals operating within an unsupportive system, represents both a national asset and an urgent warning.
Elkaina Hammache (Thu,) studied this question.