The role of teachers at university: What do high achiever students look for?

The perceptions of students about their teachers have interested the academic and scientific community, regarding the improvement of the quality of higher education. This paper presents data obtained from interviews conducted with ten high achiever engineering students and focuses on the characteristics of teachers that are highly valued by the participants. Furthermore, the influence of teachers on the development of the students was explored. The data collected describes a set of aspects from the scientific, pedagogic and emotional domains, which students identified about their teachers. Some reflections and practical implications are also presented with regard to the characteristics and pedagogical needs of high achievers.