While the Humboldtian ideal of a 'unity between research and teaching' is frequently invoked in academic discourse, it is rarely achieved in modern academic life. Indeed, it can be argued that the two strands of activities are increasingly perceived as being in conflict with each other. This workshop will examine the relationship between research and teaching and look at the impact that strategic policy initiatives to promote the quality of teaching or excellence in research might have on the modern academic self-concept. The starting point is the recognition that the low status of teaching is one of the biggest obstacles to improving the quality of teaching, and that initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of teaching may (inadvertently) contribute to lowering its status even further. In order to break this increasingly vicious cycle, it is suggested to start with a better understanding of the modern academic self-concept.