University social responsibility (USR): the university as an agent of change

Abstract

The University Social Responsibility (USR) follows the principles of comprehensive training of professionals at the service of society, contrary to altruistic or philanthropic demonstrations towards less favored population groups. The social intervention of universities focuses on teaching, research, extension, and management. The objective of the study is to determine the relationship between USR and the educational process for vocational training (PEFP) in students from Bucaramanga. This was a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational research in a population of 225 students from Bucaramanga, Colombia. The higher education institutions that took part in the research were three universities in the city of Bucaramanga (one public institution at the departmental level and two private institutions at the national level). The average age of the students is 23 years old and 46% were women and 54% men. The research determined that there is a positive, statistically significant relationship between the RSU and the educational process for professional training in universities in Bucaramanga, where the tendency to relate the acquisition of significant experiences of university life with adequate professional training was clearly observed, that is, the institutional actions undertaken by universities in terms of social participation with the environment that surrounds them, triggers aptitudes and skills in students that project them for good professional performance once they finish higher education.