The study tackles a timely question: What motivates academics to engage with societal actors? Recognizing that science–society relations are essential for addressing societal challenges, the authors explore the underlying personal drivers of academic engagement.
Using survey data from 4,249 professors at German universities, the authors examine:
- Variation in academics’ value orientations
- How these orientations shape their motives
- How both affect actual engagement behavior
They identify four distinct value orientation types, differing in how academics perceive the boundary between science and society and the role societal engagement plays in their academic identity. These orientations are strongly linked to whether academics are intrinsically or extrinsically motivated to engage, and they predict real-world engagement patterns.
Key takeaway: To effectively support academics' contributions to society, institutions must recognize the diverse forms of engagement and the personal foundations that drive them.
