ROLE OF RESEARCH CONFERENCES & THE USE OF AI TOOLS IN THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION TEACHING FACULTIES

This study analyzes the impact of research conference participation and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools on the professional development of higher education teaching faculties. Primary data were collected from 35 faculty members using a structured questionnaire and analyzed through Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient. The results indicate a weak and statistically insignificant relationship between conference participation and professional development, while a strong and significant positive relationship was found between AI tool usage and professional development. The study concludes that AI tools play a more influential role than research conferences in enhancing faculty professional development.