This describes a variant of consulting, which is carried out by faculty members of a University.

The consultation of academics usually takes place outside the scholarly community as a favor, volunteering or sometimes in exchange of some kind of compensation (e.g. a stake in the company).

Universities may have policies in place, which restrict the extent to which academic staff can act as consultants in order to avoid conflicts of interest. These limitations are especially aimed at faculty members who consult in areas of their scholarly expertise. Providing help or volunteering in subjects distant to an academic's area of expertise is not considered as consulting.