The Status of Research

Abstract

Research has been the basic academic prerogative for decades now. It has ensured that course material taught by professors was up‐to‐date, and it has provided a pool of ideas that industry needed to renew its competitiveness. However, the pivotal status of research in universities may now be eroded by innovations such as joint industry‐government‐university laboratories, by industry committees for monitoring academic courses, and by an apparent decline in incentives and rewards for academic research. Clear‐cut arguments can be made for pre‐proprietary research to remain the exclusive preserve of academia. However, academics must provide the leadership in such research and not wait for more advanced developments to filter back from industry. And furthermore, tenure for academics can only be justified if they are performing cutting‐edge research that challenges the status quo.