Four Explanatory Hypotheses on the Relationship Between University Research and Teaching: A Reflection Based on Empirical Data

Abstract

The aim of the present article is to respond to the formulation of hypotheses about the relationship between University teaching and research. To do so, we analyzed some empirical data on the activity and thoughts of university professors in response to the following four hypotheses: first, university teachers require and need their research; second, the relationship between research and teaching is significantly mediated by the professional category of the professor; third, the different areas of knowledge show different profiles as regards the teaching-research relationship, and fourth, there is a greater relationship between teaching and basic research than between teaching and applied research. The results obtained reveal the depth of interest of the discussion posed, a discussion that is still ongoing, and offer important delimitations based on our analysis and reflection.