ABSTRACT This study analyzes the most valued job attraction and retention factors by academics from three Chilean universities. The research is of a qualitative, descriptive cross-sectional type, and was implemented through an interview, based on the instrument applied by Rajagopalan & Baral (2017). The main results consider that the aspects most valued by academics to stay in a university are prestige, proximity and quality. On the other hand, the relationship of the university with the environment is relevant for academics, particularly through innovation, projects that involve the community and scientific dissemination, through different media to make it closer.