University Professor: A Profession With Diverse Worlds

Abstract

Research is currently considered the key element of social development. A society that does research and generates new knowledge acquires greater development and well-being; in contrast, a society that does not do so is condemned to backwardness and underdevelopment. In this sense, universities become engines that drive the search for and construction of new knowledge capable of generating social transformations, so university professors must have an adequate scientific attitude. The objective of this research is to analyze the scientific performance of Colombian public university professors and to propose theoretical lines to consolidate intellectual production. The methodology used is deductive rationalist, ethnomethodological approach and explanatory level, with the participation of academic-scientific actors (key informants) in five public universities in the country. The main results show that the operational core of the research system in universities is complex and involves diverse processes, resources and actors that require policies and leaders capable of guaranteeing adequate cohesion and collaboration for maximum performance. Full-time professors have the greatest responsibility for research since they generally have a master's or doctoral degree and are linked to the institution on a full-time basis, although most of them are engaged in academic and administrative tasks that absorb their time and affect their scientific performance.