The Challenges Facing Faculty Members in Private Universities in Somalia: A Case Study of Mogadishu

This study investigates the challenges facing faculty members in private universities in Mogadishu, Somalia, focusing on their impact on educational quality and academic development. Using a qualitative research approach, the study employed semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis to collect data from faculty members across multiple private universities in Mogadishu. The research reveals seven major categories of challenges: financial insecurity, professional development limitations, infrastructure constraints, excessive workload, restricted academic freedom, security concerns, and inadequate research support. Key findings indicate that 85% of faculty members report insufficient compensation, with 73% holding multiple jobs to survive. Infrastructure limitations affect 67% of teaching spaces, while 92% of faculty members report security concerns impacting their work. Professional development opportunities are severely limited, with only 22% of faculty participating in development activities in the past year. The study also found that excessive workloads (18-24 teaching hours per week) significantly impact research productivity, with only 15% of faculty members publishing research in the past two years. The research concludes that these challenges are deeply interconnected and require comprehensive, systemic solutions rather than isolated interventions. The study provides recommendations for institutional reform, policy development, and international partnership support to address these challenges effectively. These findings contribute to the understanding of faculty challenges in post-conflict higher education settings and provide a framework for developing targeted interventions to improve educational quality in similar contexts.