Academic promotion (AP) is a signifi cant means to acknowledge the achievements of teacher educators (TEs) in their professional development. However, there is scarce research on AP of TEs in Laos context. Therefore, this study investigates the challenges to AP for TEs in Laos. During data collection from May to June 2025, twelve teacher educators (TEs) in teacher training colleges (TTCs) were purposively sampled for interviews. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis and corroborated through triangulation with relevant policy documents to capture the challenges in TEs’ AP. The fi ndings reveal that the promotion criteria (PC) are set at a high level, encompassing research, thesis supervision, teaching, and the compilation of instructional documents. The PC are not well aligned with the current context of TTCs due to factors such as the decline of student teachers (STs), inadequate funding, a heavy workload, research skill gap, and insuffi cient academic support. Consequently, promotion rate for TES diff ers among TTCs. Therefore, implications in this study are proposed to systematically monitor the implementation of AP for TEs in Laos to refl ect or revise the current PC. The study suggests designing a supporting mechanism for TEs’ AP in the low-resource context of TTCs. Future studies should focus on workload balance, academic support, and adaptive strategies for AP among TEs.
Sengsoulintha Khampheng (Fri,) studied this question.