The constant transformation that the institutions of higher education experiment and, particularly, the university assumes a re-consideration of their shapes, methodology, and missions, as well as the relationships established with society. Therefore, we shall consider that a “social mission” of the university or their “third mission” constitutes an umbrella that shelters a wide diversity of reflex conceptions, and at the same time, the relationship university – society. Additionally, take into consideration that this civic and social commitment in higher education should incorporate an integrator approach, involved with an idea of European or Latin-American citizenship, in any case, incorporated in the development of their supranational policies. Therefore, the objective of our work is double. On one side, to meet and analyze the notion of a “social mission” or “third mission” of the university and their conceptual network, to clarify the language and in which sense the different denominations are used, according to the different economical, sustainability or civic approaches to be adopted. Secondly, the treatment of these ideas will be addressed at the supranational policies of higher education both in Europe and Ibero America, according to what had been structured at the Higher Education European State and whether it has been promoted by the OEI. Also, it will be attended the way that this supranational policy aboard the civic and identity components, that linked to the social mission cooperate for the promotion of common citizenship. As a result of the analysis made we can affirm that the approach of the learning-service constitutes an emergent tendency on a global scale, appropriate to develop effectively the third mission or social mission of the university.
Las políticas supranacionales de educación superior ante la «tercera misión» de la Universidad: el caso del aprendizaje-servicio