Scientific, academic and professional networks are essential for the work developed by academics in the current knowledge societies because they are closely associated with formal (sometimes informal as well) learning processes. The ability of academics, but also of universities as institutions, to tap into the knowledge/learning networks is critical because these networks represent knowledge and information flows that are needed to support and sustain ongoing learning activities. However, the focus, location, typology and scope of networks differ. These differences entail diverse expectations and impacts, and thus, one expects that the characteristics of the participating agents (academics and universities) are aligned with the main purpose of the network. This is what this article will explore. Based on data from several different universities and from different countries, obtained in the course of the CINHEKS project funded by ESF, we investigate through social network analysis the extent to which specific characteristics of academics, or the academic work that they develop, determine their participation in those networks.