Unveiling the professional attributes of university teachers

This article derives from a collaborative higher education project, conceptualised, and implemented by academics seven South African universities. These are members of the Teaching Advancement at University (TAU) Fellowship. The project has its roots in Department Higher Education’s National Framework for Enhancing Academics as Teachers, which identifies six leverage points or ‘imperatives action’, one is imperative to develop expectations (attributes) their role university teachers. TAU Fellows engaged enquiry over period three years, appropriating conceptual framework posited Henry Giroux, teachers transformative intellectuals. In this article, each author reflects on his/her own scholarship teaching learning (SoTL) endeavours, provided tools illuminate what them group, valuable professional attributes. metaphor Baobab tree appropriated signify ‘rhizomatic thinking’, portrays subconscious, subversive, non-linear, multi-directional, serendipitous, esoteric, dynamic, unbounded, unpredictable, adaptive, non-hierarchical. SoTL enabled group unveil declare attributes they made public praxis. include imbued with capacity critical thinking actively promoting amongst students; active mediators; responsive, innovative, relevant curriculum designers; professionals. Appreciation enhanced when reader first views video https://youtu.be/yoA9guMut-8.