This investigation has moved the debate on the teaching/research nexus from the restrictive question: 'Is there a nexus?' to a systematic examination of the nexus as it actually operates in three very different universities - The University of Ballarat, The University of Western Australia and Curtin University of Technology. The assumption was that, since teaching and research are widely regarded as the two core activities of academics, it would be worthwhile to determine whether, and if so how, the relationship between them was being enhanced in policy and practice under different institutional circumstances. The project included a systematic review of current policies in each of the universities, supplemented by semi-structured interviews with key members of each executive team and staff teaching in humanities and social sciences, sciences and the professions.