University – society linkage projects: 20 years working with the underprivileged sectors in Ecuador

Jorge Altamirano Sanchez

doi:10.18844/prosoc.v4i1.2285

Abstract

Bonding the university with the society is a widely discussed topic in international literature. However, the university social responsibility in relation with the underprivileged sectors has not been amply investigated. This current research makes an analysis of the university-society linkage with the underprivileged sectors in Ecuador. This research was carried out through a  case study at the Politecnica Salesiana University of Ecuador, which has more than 20 years of experience in making linking projects with deprived and disadvantage sectors. The methodology used for the analysis of these projects has been taken from the â€œWorking with Peopleâ€ model, which is suitable enough for the planning of high social complexity development projects. The results show the suitability of the WWP model for the university-society linkage projects, and they also outstand thecontribution of the UPS (Politecnica Salesiana University) to the development of deprived sectors from three dimensions, which are the economic, technical, political â€“ contextual, and social â€“ ethical. Keywords: University-society; underprivileged sectors; working with people.

Highlights

The university-society linkage, is the tool which allows the interaction between the academy and the environment, efficiently coordinating its teaching, research, culture extension, and service functions, allowing relationships with the productive and social sectors to mutually benefit each other, and favoring a strategic placement (Alcantar-Enriquez & Arcos-Vega, 2004).The term linkage always relates to the relationships that exist - or must exist – between the university and the society it makes part of
University – society linkage projects: 20 years working with the underprivileged sectors in Ecuador
Several investigations have been developed about the relationship between academy and society, especially with the business sector; the economic and political changes in the world have had a great impact in higher education models in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States (Slaughter & Leslie, 1997)

Summary

Introduction

The university-society linkage, is the tool which allows the interaction between the academy and the environment, efficiently coordinating its teaching, research, culture extension, and service functions, allowing relationships with the productive and social sectors to mutually benefit each other, and favoring a strategic placement (Alcantar-Enriquez & Arcos-Vega, 2004).The term linkage always relates to the relationships that exist - or must exist – between the university and the society it makes part of. Several investigations have been developed about the relationship between academy and society, especially with the business sector; the economic and political changes in the world have had a great impact in higher education models in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States (Slaughter & Leslie, 1997). The increase of the investment has been significant if the patents, licenses, and the spending of the industry in R&D are measured (Duistra, 1992; Feller 1997; Hackett 2001; Mansfield 1995; Owen-Smith 2001; Powell & Owen-Smith, 2002). In this manner, the public research universities are responding to neoliberal tendencies, through a so-called academic Capitalism, making the higher education politics to depend on the macro-economic politics. Many university workers spend their time only to the business service (Slaughter & Leslie, 2001)

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