Purpose – The paper is twofold aimed. We first examine the relationship between teaching experience and students’ satisfaction. In a second stage we explore the mediating effect of research intensity in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach – Data gathered in 2014 come from 229 different subjects offered at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona (Spain). The reliability and validity of the students’ satisfaction constructs is assessed using structural equation modelling (SEM). A couple of nested models are analysed in order to assess the mediation effect of research in the relationship between the lecturer experience and the student satisfaction attained. Findings (Mandatory) – Results support the thesis that teaching experience is a determinant of student satisfaction, but on the other hand, the lecturer research acts as a negative mediator to explain satisfaction. Taking into account both effects, the total effect between experience and satisfaction is non-significant. There have been also found evidence that current incentive systems at universities are research-biased, negatively impacting on teaching quality, and consequently on student satisfaction. Practical implications – The findings suggest that current incentive systems at universities are researchbiased, negatively impacting on teaching quality, and consequently on student satisfaction Originality/value – The paper contributes with the analysis of the decomposition of the total effect between experience and students’ satisfaction in the direct effect and the mediated effect of research effort.