Abstract

Academic profession is in a process of transformation due to a combination of occurrences. New meanings and responsibilities have been attributed to higher education due to the changing of the professional figures and the diversification of students. Consequently, academics have been asked to modify their teaching and research activities. Teaching activities in particular have become more relevant due to the rapid development of professional competences in the labor market and the parallel transformation of pedagogic and didactic methods. Universities are asked to be more open to the external society in order to contribute to the solution of new problems raised by the accelerated changing social and economic processes. Besides, new forms of control and assessment of academic activities have reduced the individual degree of freedom and independence of the academics. As a consequence the foundations of academic work, belief, and authority are under pressure and will have to be rethought.