As part of a large-scale project, the present study explores research conception, research engagement (both reading and doing research), the impact of research on professional development, the setbacks for research engagement, and the suggestions for improving the dominant research practice in English language teaching (ELT) higher education. The required data were collected through an instrument developed by the present researchers. To this end, the instrument was distributed among 50 MA students (MSs), 50 PhD candidates (PCs), and 50 university professors (UPs) in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) in higher education. Descriptive statistics used to analyse the data, indicated the participants' agreement on almost all categories underlying research conception, research engagement, research impact, research setbacks, and research suggestions of the instrument. However, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that, out of 19 research categories, there were significant differences among the three groups regarding the four categories of published articles, instrumental purpose, research reading and doing processes, and pressures from the immediate context. The findings are elaborated on and discussed in the light of the literature and the status of research engagement in ELT higher education.