Exploring faculty reading and research behaviors in a public and a private university: Case-study Cuenca, Ecuador

In light of recent changes in Ecuador’s higher education system that are aimed at enhancing the universities’ academic performance and thereby their ability to help address the country’s socio-economic problems and contribute to the country’s growth, this article reports on a study that investigated the research and reading behaviors of faculty members in a private and a public university in Cuenca, Ecuador. An analysis of the self-reported reading and research behaviors of 129 professors in both universities revealed that professors are poorly prepared to conduct research and are even less familiar with publishing its results in peer reviewed journals. Hardly any differences in faculty reading and research behaviors were observed between both universities. Additionally, no significant differences in research productivity were detected between those professors who held graduate degrees and those who did not. The article concludes that greater research and publication expectations need to be placed on professors with advanced degrees, in particular those holding doctoral degrees. The latter should take on leadership roles in the universities’ research efforts. However, to make this happen Ecuador’s universities need to take steps to reduce faculty involvement in teaching, provide adequate resources and create an infrastructure that is truly conducive to research growth. This process will be further enhanced if a reward system for research and publication is in place.