Non solo eccellenti studiosi, ma anche buoni cittadini accademici: una riflessione sulla relazione tra ricerca e servizio nelle Università contemporanee

The growing emphasis that contemporary higher university systems have been placing on research achievements over the past decades is bringing academics to devote their time and effort towards the enhancement of their publication record to the alleged detriment of other roles and activities that have been traditionally part of the academic profession and identity. This paper focuses on the still overlooked interplay between research and academic citizenship intended as service to the institution, to the scientific community, and to the collective. Starting with a framing of the rationale undergirding the quest for research excellence, which in Italy has been fostered by an ad-hoc reform issued in 2010 and by the implementation of a national qualification exam, its effects on teaching and knowledge transfer engagement are highlighted. In particular, the still overlooked effort substitution taking place between research and academic citizenship is delved into, and drawbacks for individual careers as well as for organizational thriving are discussed. Finally, the necessity to revise academic performance so as to include also service and accordingly motivate faculty to undertake it is claimed, and a procedure to gauge and reward citizenship appropriately is proposed according to international literature hints.