Communities of practice are generally known as places of engagement, learning and development. The current research aims to develop understanding of Estonian early-career university teachers' learning and developing possibilities as teachers in the community of practice (in the university). This paper is based on narrative interviews of 25 early-career university teachers. On the basis of the analysis we found that in the beginning of an academic career, a novice teacher finds support mostly through informal relationships. Opportunities to learn in the community depend heavily on the traditions and activity of a particular unit.Käesoleva uurimuse eesmärgiks oli uurida ja tõlgendada Eesti ülikoolide algajate õppejõudude õppimise ja arenguvõimalusi akadeemilises kogukonnas. Uurimus tugineb 25 õppejõuga läbi viidud intervjuul, mille analüüsi tulemusel leidsime, et akadeemilise karjääri algul leiavad õppejõud tuge peamiselt mitteformaalsetest suhetest kolleegidega. Kogukonnas õppimise võimalused sõltuvad konkreetse akadeemilise üksuse traditsioonidest, algaja õppejõu enda valmisolekust ning ülikoolis pakutavatest professionaalse arengu tegevustest.

The dynamics of professional identity of university teachers: reflecting on the ideal university teacher Current paper investigates development of professional identity of university teachers, observed through reflective exercises which enabled participants' to focus on their perception of the ideal university teacher. Images of the ideal university teacher were studied from two aspects: first - before the participants started teaching, and second - after they had been teaching for some time. This paper focused on how images of the ideal university teacher have changed over time, and discussed the reasons that brought about changes. There is a tendency that ideals are adapted in accordance with teaching experience. Ideals are regarded as unstable phenomena, influenced by the surrounding environment. Current paper made use of a qualitative design of reflective writing exercises and focus group interviews. The sample comprised an aggregate of 42 participants, university teachers and PhD students, and 4 focus groups. Interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The study shows that after some teaching experience, didactic knowledge and communicative skills come to the forefront of the ideal university teacher identity. The study opens the way for further and deeper discussion of images of an ideal university teacher.