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Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play a crucial role in knowledge society by providing and disseminating knowledge. In this regard, academics have been encouraged to collaborate with society, leading to the emergence of new modes of knowledge production. Several institutional and individual factors have been identified as determinants of the academic engagement. Hence, using data from a survey delivered to a representative sample of Portuguese academics, this paper analyses the influence of different modes of knowledge production, institutional diversity and individual characteristics on distinct dimensions of academic engagement (Formal Research Collaboration; Informal Dissemination of Knowledge; Commercialization of Knowledge; and Teaching-related Activities and Supervision of Students). We propose as research hypotheses the existence of an influence of individual academics' values, identity and types of knowledge on the engagement with society, addressing them using a linear regression. Results suggest the influence of CUDOS, (i.e. communalism, disinterestedness and organized scepticism) and PLACE, (i.e. proprietary, local, authority, commissioned and expert) on academic engagement, although this influence differs according to distinct dimensions. The findings also reveal differences according to the type of institutional affiliation. Moreover, the study confirms the relevance of individual characteristics in explaining different forms of academic engagement, such as gender, discipline and seniority. Since the results do not align entirely with the theory, this paper may be of particular relevance to launch a discussion around the type of engagement higher education institutions intend to promote and how far their own characteristics and those of their academics may influence such engagement.

In this explorative study, the translation perspective from organisational studies is taken to analyse how national accreditation agencies interpret the so-called European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) and adjust these to the domestic context. Additionally, the study investigates how review panels make use of the ESG vocabulary in their review reports. The empirical materials stem from a variety of 17 higher education institutions in Croatia, Estonia, Finland and Portugal. The findings illustrate the translation processes (copying and modification) taking place and reveal that particularly national quality assurance frameworks often deviate from the ESG. Review panels stay fairly close to the domestic frameworks.

This research seeks to explore academics' perceptions of the importance and degree of implementation of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) for internal quality assurance. It uses empirical evidence from Portugal, gathered via a questionnaire given to all university academics. Results show academics' perceptions of the importance and implementation of the ESG in their institutions to be quite positive. Nevertheless, academics tend to find the standards more important than effectively implemented. Furthermore, significant differences in perceptions emerge between groups of academics. This study intends to contribute to a better understanding of the implementation of quality management practices in universities, and the influence of the ESG in this process.