Abstract

Changes in higher education governance in Ibero-America, driven by New Public Management (NPM) reforms, have redefined the academic profession in different countries. This study provides a comparative analysis of academic roles in Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Portugal, based on data from the Academic Profession in the Knowledge-Based Society (APIKS) survey. Seven dimensions are examined: research and teaching interests, teaching activities, teaching evaluation, research orientation, institutional expectations of research, governance and institutional management and job satisfaction. The results show a widespread preference for combining teaching and research, albeit with national variations. Argentina tends towards teaching, while Mexico prioritises research. Portugal and Chile show a more balanced distribution of interests between research and teaching. Teaching remains central, with high participation in Argentina and Portugal, but lower participation in Mexico. Teaching evaluation is stricter in Mexico and Argentina, but more flexible in Chile and Portugal. Research in Mexico and Argentina is practice-oriented, with little emphasis on technology transfer. Institutional expectations of research are higher in Chile and Mexico. Job satisfaction is lower in Argentina and Portugal, suggesting room for improvement. The results highlight the diverse impacts of NPM on academic professions, reflecting global trends with local specificities.