This study aims to explore the practices and institutional challenges of Hawassa University academics staff pertaining to their continuous professional development (CPD) engagement. To this end, we employ an exploratory case study as our research design using various sources of data. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that there is a range of understanding of CPD among staff and that is practiced both formally and informally. The major challenges that hinder the practical effectiveness of CPD include misunderstanding of its importance, the inability of the institution to make the content of CPD relevant to academics' current needs and insufficient financial provisions. It is recommended that institutional and systematic policy actions for CPD management be prioritized.