Abstract

Rapid technological advancement has brought about profound transformations across all aspects of socioeconomic life, requiring organizations and individuals to develop the capacity to respond effectively to emerging demands in rapidly changing environments. This requirement is particularly urgent for early-career university lecturers, who directly contribute to fulfilling higher education institutions’ missions of education and knowledge creation. Drawing on three theoretical foundations—career adaptability, informal workplace learning, and identity trajectory—this article proposes a career adaptability competency framework for university lecturers. The framework identifies the core dimensions of career adaptability and explains the mechanisms underlying the career adaptation process. It thereby provides a theoretical foundation for developing lecturers’ career adaptability, supporting faculty development, and contributing to the sustainable development of higher education.

Keywords: Career adaptability, faculty development, higher education institutions, professional competence, sustainable development.