Professional Development as a Leverage Point for Quality Enhancement: Bridging the Knowing-Doing Gap in Ghanaian Higher Education Institutions

Purpose: This study examines the relationship between professional development (PD) programmes and quality assurance (QA) at the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Ghana. It investigates whether PD serves as a more potent leverage point for quality enhancement than formal QA mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design combined quantitative surveys (n=1,082) with semi-structured interviews (n=30) across five stakeholder groups in Ghana to collect data. Regression analysis examined PD’s influence on academic outcomes and community engagement, while thematic analysis explored implementation barriers and enabling conditions. Findings: The study found that PD is a better predictor of quality outcomes than formal QA mechanisms. PD accounted for 44% of the variance in academic outcomes (β = 0.826, p < 0.001) and 50.5% of the variance in community engagement (β = 0.843, p < 0.001), in contrast to 31.5% and 25.1%, respectively, for QA mechanisms. It was also found that while 93% of staff participate in PD activities, only 30% implement the methods they learn, with time constraints (97%), skills mismatch (70%), and misaligned incentive structures explaining this gap. Research implications: This study extends stakeholder theory to professional development contexts by demonstrating how misalignment between PD offerings and diverse stakeholder needs attenuates implementation effectiveness. It introduces the knowing-doing gap as a critical construct for understanding why PD investment fails to translate into quality improvements. Practical implications: Universities should shift professional development from participation-centred to implementation-centered models; tailor professional development content to the distinct requirements of diverse stakeholders; incorporate PD metrics into promotion criteria; and foster the cultivation of data literacy skills to advance evidence-based quality enhancement. Originality/value: This study offers the first empirical comparison of PD and formal QA mechanisms as key drivers of quality outcomes in African higher education, highlights the knowing-doing gap as a major barrier to quality improvement, and recommends stakeholder-focused strategies to close it.