This paper is a case study investigating factors affecting the research engagement of the lecturers and their satisfactory attitudes towards professional development activities organised in a university in the Mekong Delta region. | An Giang University Journal of Science – 2017, Vol. 5 (2), 66 – 80 EXPLORING FACTORS HINDERING LECTURERS’ RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT AND THEIR SATISFACTORY ATTITUDES TOWARDS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES ORGANISED IN A MEKONG DELTA’S UNIVERSITY Huynh Thanh Tien1, Tran Thi Thanh Hue1 1 An Giang University Information: Received: 02/03/2017 Accepted: 15/04/2017 Published: 06/2017 Keywords: Hindrances, Interpretive case study, Professional development activities, Research engagement ABSTRACT This paper is a case study investigating factors affecting the research engagement of the lecturers and their satisfactory attitudes towards professional development activities organised in a university in the Mekong Delta region. The study employed the interpretive qualitative case study approach with the use of three data collection tools (document analysis, surveys, and recorded semi-structured interviews). However, due to the length permission of a journal article, this article only presented a part of the survey findings. The findings indicated that factors such as limited finance, time and facilities, and particularly a complex procedure to receive research funding and payments were substantial hindrances of their research engagement. Related to professional development activities, the lecturers participating in the study felt more satisfactory towards those organised by the university than those organised by their faculty. countries recognised the vital role of academic research in the national development. Additionally, research conducted by university academics substantially contributes to a nation’s development. Johnson (2012) stated that research was not only critical to the economic and social development of society, it is also critical to a university’s mission. 1. INTRODUCTION In the time of globalisation of higher education (HE), HE academics’ duty for research actually seems more important for an emerging economy like Vietnam because scientific research .
