Higher education institutions are continually challenged to produce graduates who not only master disciplinary knowledge but also possess the intellectual flexibility to adapt and innovate amid rapid social and technological change. In Indonesia, as in many other countries, educators in higher education often navigate complex programmatic and institutional demands that can divert attention from cultivating these essential intellectual capacities. This study employs the framework of intellectual virtues to conceptualize the graduate attributes necessary for preparing adaptable and reflective professionals. Using an online survey method, data were gathered from 20 teacher educators in the School of Education at one Indonesian university to investigate their perceptions and classroom practices regarding the teaching of nine identified intellectual virtues. A combination of descriptive statistical analysis and thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. The results reveal that although the participants generally expressed positive perceptions about the importance of fostering intellectual virtues, their actual teaching practices did not always align with these perceptions. This perception–practice tension highlights a critical gap between pedagogical intention and implementation. Such a gap has implications not only for the preparedness of graduates to engage in complex and uncertain professional environments but also for curriculum design and policy development within higher education institutions. The study underscores the need for a more coherent alignment between educators’ beliefs and instructional strategies in promoting intellectual virtues, especially in the context of teacher education programs responding to neoliberal pressures and evolving societal expectations.