Educational social responsibility: An integrative vision of participation for social innovation

Abstract

The university is a social entity par excellence. Both its work in the training of national talent, necessary for the development of science and technological innovation, and in achieving the well-being of people, define the university as a social good. Therefore, the action of the university directly affects the creation of a more supportive and fair society through continuous training, research and extension. It distributes knowledge and opportunities for social advancement.

Hence, the university transcends its campus by distributing knowledge in society and thereby serves as a transformative entity of values, educational and cultural practices, as well as the diverse ways of life of the community. In relation to this, the training function of the university allows the democratization of knowledge, and its distribution in the corners furthest from the centers of power.

In this sense, the responsibility of the university is, fundamentally, with society. The different activities are oriented to achieve, in essence, the well-being of the community. Therefore, when we talk about the Social Responsibility of the University (USR) in the educational field, we talk about the importance of the university as an entity concerned with change, social innovation and the impact of these processes on improving the living conditions of the citizens of the country.