Faculty Performance in Relation to the CORE Dimensions of the Adversity Quotient in Higher Education

In the rapidly shifting academic environment of the 21st century—defined by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA)—the emerging BANI framework (brittle, anxious, non-linear, and incomprehensible) provides a sharper lens to understand the evolving challenges faced by faculty in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). This study examined the correlation between Adversity Quotient (AQ) and faculty performance in selected SUCs in the Caraga Region, Philippines. The study focused on the four CORE dimensions—Control, Origin and Ownership, Reach, and Endurance—in relation to resilience and professional effectiveness in demanding academic settings. Employing a descriptive-correlational design, the study used proportionate stratified random sampling to select 233 faculty members with at least one year of teaching experience, ensuring credible insights into adversity and institutional realities. Results revealed a significant positive correlation between AQ and faculty performance (r = .597, p = .000), indicating that those with higher AQ demonstrated greater instructional competence, adaptability, and persistence amid systemic and contextual pressures. Among the CORE dimensions of the adversity quotient, endurance recorded the highest mean score (M = 3.73, SD = 0.818) and also showed the strongest positive relationship with faculty performance (r = .620, p = .000). This was followed closely by origin and ownership (M = 3.70, SD = 0.903; r = .633, p = .000), which also demonstrated a strong correlation. In contrast, control (M = 3.48, SD = 0.920; r = .411, p = .000) and reach (M = 3.34, SD = 1.000; r = .292, p = .000) had the least mean scores and correlation values. These results suggest that while faculty members tend to persevere through adversity and take ownership of their challenges, they may perceive less control over difficult situations and find it more challenging to limit the negative outcomes of adversity across different aspects of their professional lives. Overall, faculty members reported strong AQ levels (M = 3.56, SD = 0.91) and strong faculty performance (M = 4.02). These findings are vital to advancing Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education, which emphasizes resilience, inclusion, and excellence in higher education. The study advocates for integrating AQ-building interventions into faculty development programs to enhance institutional responsiveness, promote mental agility, develop a future-ready academic workforce, and promote sustainability within an increasingly complex educational ecosystem.