Abstract

The academic culture has received increasing attention in the literature. However, less attention has been paid to the effects of academic culture on undergraduate and graduate teaching. This article proposes a conceptual model, based on analytical induction, which identifies three levels of academic culture: higher education culture, professional and disciplinary culture, and institutional culture. It is argued that the beliefs of students, academics and management teams about the role of research and extension are fundamental to university teaching. Based on the above review, the importance of understanding the impact of academic culture on undergraduate and graduate education is revealed by exemplifying its significance for Latin American institutions.