Dean's reflections: The need for coexisting research and teaching

It is obvious that in order to be a good professor it is crucial to be up to date with the development and recent trends of research on the discipline one teaches, but this does not mean that it is necessary to be an active researcher in order to be an excellent teacher. In fact, recent international research studies that comparatively analyzed institutions with high indicators of teaching and research, did not find a clear relationship between these two variables. It goes without saying that the university must give priority to excellence in teaching.

Nevertheless, it is essential that the university performs research tasks in order to advance or modify the existing knowledge, and to promote de application of techniques and procedures in all the branches of higher education’s disciplines. Those two objectives, teaching and research, in addition to “service”, can and should coexist with the mission and daily activities of any academic department.  Even more, the research process in the university is a crucial tool for the teaching process, as long as it is capable of involving students in this activity, and at the same time of developing their metacognitive abilities for creation and innovation within their learning process. In order to accomplish this goal, the administration must reinforce, in equal degree, the two essential processes of teaching and research, as well as to serve the community, without which the university could not exist. Consequently, it is necessary to set up “differentiated assignments” to faculty in order to match their needs, aspirations and expectations, and the needs of the students.

My research record is continuous. Even in times of heavy administrative and international responsibilities, which require extensive traveling, I have tried not to abandon my creative and analytic tasks, which I consider an essential part of my professional growth and ethics. But beyond all this, a dean should be able to assist each one of the members of the college in the fulfillment of their academic goals, making their individual scholarly objectives compatible with the university and the educational community’s mission and vision. A college dean must be able to postpone her or his own interests and be sensitive to the scholarly interests of the community under her or his leadership.