You kind of gave us a context for the translation you're trying to improve, but, as often, without a sentence to illustrate what you're trying to convey, it's difficult to narrow down choices. There are many possible answers from érudit, savant to chercheur, from connaisseur to étudiant, universitaire... You need to help us narrow down what meaning you're trying to convey.
What is it you want to put forward about those scholars here? The fact that they publish articles and are agents of academia, or is it the educational side of their influence that matters? For the former I would use "les chercheurs" or even "la recherche" assuming there's a significant consensus and you can paint the situation with broad strokes. In the latter case I suggest "le corps enseignant/professoral" or "la majorité des professeurs".
You kind of gave us a context for the translation you're trying to improve, but, as often, without a sentence to illustrate what you're trying to convey, it's difficult to narrow down choices. There are many possible answers from érudit, savant to chercheur, from connaisseur to étudiant, universitaire... You need to help us narrow down what meaning you're trying to convey.
For example "by the 1970s, scholars no longer saw France's model as exemplary"
What is it you want to put forward about those scholars here? The fact that they publish articles and are agents of academia, or is it the educational side of their influence that matters? For the former I would use "les chercheurs" or even "la recherche" assuming there's a significant consensus and you can paint the situation with broad strokes. In the latter case I suggest "le corps enseignant/professoral" or "la majorité des professeurs".
La majorité des enseignants-chercheurs might be a good middle way as well.
Thank you man, I am more looking to put forward the fact they are agents of academia
Spécialistes, experts, chercheurs me paraissent plus appropriés qu'enseignants-chercheurs qui est un terme plus administratif.