The Social Responsibility of the University

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan R Francisco
2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (62) ◽  
pp. 66-81
Author(s):  
Adriana M. Moreno Moreno ◽  
Eduar Fernando Aguirre González

Social Responsibility is a concept that has been approached from different perspectives by theoreticians and institutions. Initially, this was limited exclusively to companies, however, the creation of the Social Capital, Ethics and Development Initiative by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) sought to make educational institutions aware that, like any other organization, they are responsible for the externalities they generate in their environment and their stakeholders. This research approaches the concept of University Social Responsibility (USR) from the scheme proposed by the IDB, which proposes four axes of action for Universities’ CR: Responsible Campus, Professional and Citizen Training, Social Management of Knowledge and Social Participation. The Universidad del Valle has a strategic plan entitled “Universidad del Valle’s Strategic Development Plan” and Regionalization attached thereto. It has also developed its action plan and in the five strategic issues raised herein, its socially responsible approach is clearly identifiable. The North Cauca Facility wherein this study is being developed, even though it does not have a University Social Responsibility Management Model, has attempted to align its practices with its strategic affairs that broadly conform to the four axes proposed by the IDB. This research addresses a relevant and current issue inasmuch as it proposes to develop a diagnosis on the relationship between the four axes of Social Responsibility proposed by the IDB and the practice of Social Responsibility applied at the Universidad del Valle, North Cauca Facility, for the period 2014-2015. In order to answer the research problem, a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive type of study is used, given that the work was based on the documentary information available at the University, while the interviews with the directors of the Institution are used as a tool for oral history. The research method used is the case study, which allows to address a unit of analysis in depth, in this case the USR within the Universidad del Valle, North Cauca Facility.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7035
Author(s):  
Abedalqader Rababah ◽  
Natalya I. Nikitina ◽  
Veronica M. Grebennikova ◽  
Zhanna R. Gardanova ◽  
Angelina O. Zekiy ◽  
...  

University social responsibility (USR) is an important assessment criterion of the QS Stars. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the social orientation of universities as intellectual leaders in the development of society gains particular importance. The research purpose is to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the university activity directions in the framework of strategies (USR). An empirical assessment of the level and complementary factors of USR in the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) was conducted, using the method of integral and expert assessment. Grounded on scoring according to the principal component analysis, the structure of the factors of the USR development in the BRICS countries was determined. Multifactor regression modeling allowed substantiating the priority of factors stimulating the development of USR in the BRICS countries in modern conditions and arguing the main barriers to introducing the concept of social responsibility into university activities and expanding the stakeholders’ circle in it. The research results showed that the university management creativity, effective communication with the public and stakeholders, the quality of the educational process and the development of scientific activities stimulate USR development in the BRICS countries and should be used as the basis for the strategic planning of activities in the context of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Conceptual trends in the USR development can be useful for universities in the studied countries when adapting strategic development plans regarding the social needs of modern society.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 527-538
Author(s):  
Kateryna Tryma

Aim. The paper is aimed to investigate the students’ opinion about the social responsibility carried out by higher education institutions (HEIs) in Ukraine. Nowadays social responsibility has become one of the key characteristics of modern HEIs. Ukrainian universities are trying to become 'civic universities', i.e., institutions which contribute to the development of the local community. The students, as key stakeholders of the university activities, also take part in this process. Methods. To investigate the social responsibility of the Ukrainian HEIs, the case study method is used in the present paper: the case of Mariupol State University and its social functions within the city are highlighted. The online survey was applied to investigate the level of students’ awareness of the university social functions and the role played by the university in the local community. Materials published by the university and the results of the survey have been analysed to test the hypothesis that students consider Mariupol State University to be a socially responsible university which cooperates with the local community. Results. The students’ opinion on the social functions carried out by Mariupol State University is that this local university has strong ties with the local community and authorities and perform its social mission. However, the social functions of the university, according to the students, are limited by teaching and research activities. Few students consider social responsibility of the university in a wider context. Conclusion. On the example of the MSU the paper shows that modern universities in Ukraine perform social functions and try to become truly civic universities to contribute to the development of the local communities in cooperation with different stakeholders. Nevertheless, students as a key stakeholder of the university activities still consider social responsibility of the university primarily aimed at teaching and research.


Author(s):  
Paul Marinescu ◽  
Sorin Toma ◽  
Ionut Constantin

In the last decades the corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been a major subject both for universities, civil society and businesses. Although the CSR concept is especially promoted by large multinational and transnational corporations, it has become also a prominent issue for universities. Social responsibility represents more than a challenge for universities. It has to be a purpose of the universities, taking into account that young people formation also means creating a high level of awareness about the need to involve members of society in solving social problems. Our paper contributes for better clarifying the CSR concept and presents as a study case some of initiatives of the University of Bucharest related to the social responsibility.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 526-559
Author(s):  
Shno Hassan Abdulsamad ◽  
Paiman Abdulqadr Majeed

Social responsibility takes an important role in constancy and tainquility of life in a society, tries to make the system of the society better and protects its roles, at the same time become a factor to perform each one's responsibility toward himself and the surrounding, and also make each individual mature, conscious in terms of rights, responsibilities, roles and comprehended ones about the social, political and general problems of the society and also encourages them to participate in resolving problems. The researcher found it necessary to carry on such a study in order to investigate the level of social responsibility of  the university students, and to underline the differences in the level according to variable,academic specialization,and study stages The research population is all the bachelor students of first stage and forth stage  of humanity  and science  academic specialization in the University of  Sulaimani in the new camp in ( 2019 - 2020) , but the sample of the study  (428) students of  the faculties of (College of Humanities, College of Law, College of Science, and College of Engineering )by the way of , the research is a kind of descriptive, and the adopted method is ( social survey), the researcher, for collection data, adopted scale to measure the social responsibility, and used some statistical means such as (coefficient alpha, person correlations coefficient, T,Test, means, standard deviation) The result indicates that the students of University of Sulaimani have a high level of social responsibility, and there are differences statistically concerning the variable of academic specialty ( science and humanity ) in behalf of humanities, and of study stages ( first stage and forth stage ) in behalf of first stage . These  results  were interpreted in the light of the literature review the researcher shed light on certain recommendations and suggestions .


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-85
Author(s):  
Asier Arcos - Alonso ◽  
Ángel Elías - Ortega ◽  
Ander Arcos - Alonso

This paper presents a study of university social responsibility (USR), carried out through an innovative educational action. The students of the studied classrooms in the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) collaborated with a social entity Emmaus Social Foundation dedicated to environmental sustainability, social justice and the social and solidarity economy to provide community services through a service-learning methodology. Using a mixed method approach, we combined the practical experience of the social entity with an active student-centred teaching methodology in order to foster the acquisition of general and specific competencies related to sustainability and social justice. The aim was to create learning connections between members of the university community and links with the environmental and social reality of the Basque Country. This pilot study was carried out in the first term of the 2018–2019 academic year. This work allowed (a) critical knowledge to be generated by incorporating and hybridising discussion elements of social justice, such as sustainability; (b) intergenerational participation processes to be generated between elders, university students and social organisations in order to acquire general and specific learning competencies and (c) social and environmental needs to be addressed through community services.   Keywords: Higher education, intergenerational learning, service-learning, teaching innovation, university social responsibility.


Author(s):  
José Felipe Ojeda-Hidalgo ◽  
Sandra Yetzari Trapala - Sánchez ◽  
Annherys Isabel Paz - Marcano

 El artículo analiza la responsabilidad social universitaria desde la perspectiva de los ex rectores de diferentes universidades que aceptaron ser parte del libro “La responsabilidad social de la universidad mexicana a mitad del siglo XXI” se interpreta su discurso a través de las dimensiones de la ISO 26000. La investigación se desarrolló mediante un enfoque cualitativo a través de 13 discursos de ex rectores considerando los procedimientos establecidos por la Teoría Fundamentada de los datos como estrategia para analizar la información recopilada. Se identificaron las siete dimensiones a lo largo de los discursos de los ex rectores que son la gobernabilidad, los derechos humanos, prácticas laborales, prácticas justas de operación, asuntos de los consumidores, el medio ambiente y el desarrollo e involucramiento de la comunidad. Abstract The article analyzes the university social responsibility from the perspective of the former rectors of different universities that accepted to be part of the book “The social responsibility of the Mexican university in the middle of the 21st century”, his speech is interpreted through the dimensions of ISO 26000 The research was developed through a qualitative approach through 13 speeches of former rectors considering the procedures established by the Grounded Theory of the data as a strategy to analyze the information collected. The seven dimensions were identified throughout the speeches of former rectors that are governance, human rights, labor practices, fair operating practices, consumer affairs, the environment and community development and involvement.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
Howard Richards ◽  
Sarah L. Watson

The experience of the education for the social responsibility program at the University of Concepción suggests the viability of large-scale moral education forming a functional, realistic, and socially unifying ethical conscience. Three educational principles supported by scientific findings are proposed to guide moral education: understanding, participation, and empathy from experience. Taking as an example the 'structural trap' by which the good intention of complying with social human rights such as health, ends up discouraging economic investment, it is suggested that good large scale moral education is capable of facilitating the overcoming of structural obstacles to solutions to social and ecological problems.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 1629-1641
Author(s):  
Asier Arcos Alonso ◽  
Ángel Elías - Ortega ◽  
Ander Arcos - Alonso

This paper presents a study of university social responsibility (USR), carried out through an innovative educational action. The students of the studied classrooms in the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) collaborated with a social entity Emmaus Social Foundation dedicated to environmental sustainability, social justice and the social and solidarity economy to provide community services through a service-learning methodology. Using a mixed method approach, we combined the practical experience of the social entity with an active student-centred teaching methodology in order to foster the acquisition of general and specific competencies related to sustainability and social justice. The aim was to create learning connections between members of the university community and links with the environmental and social reality of the Basque Country. This pilot study was carried out in the first term of the 2018–2019 academic year. This work allowed (a) critical knowledge to be generated by incorporating and hybridising discussion elements of social justice, such as sustainability; (b) intergenerational participation processes to be generated between elders, university students and social organisations in order to acquire general and specific learning competencies and (c) social and environmental needs to be addressed through community services.   Keywords: Higher education, intergenerational learning, service-learning, teaching innovation, university social responsibility.


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