University social responsibility

An approach to the concept in education of the century

Abstract

Inequality and existing social injustice, environmental degradation, loss of ethical and moral values and the irresponsible use of scientific and technological knowledge, require us to rethink the kind of education that are offered in universities, since they are these institutions to whom society has given them the mission to train individuals responsible for transforming the world we live in more humane and sustainable one. This commitment, of the twenty-first century, it is necessary to assume from a social viewpoint not only to fulfill the undertaken of UNESCO declared the decade of 2005-2014 as the decade for education for sustainable development, but, on the urgent need to form citizens capable of responding critically and ethical commitment to economic, social, cultural, political and environmental changes caused by globalization and the knowledge society. Is required by the universities, a new commitment from his missionary functions especially the challenge of transforming their educational practices focused on rote knowledge transmission and decontextualized way to reality, educational practices that make it a university socially responsible. In this sense, and based on the review of the literature and empirical evidence, it is intended to address a theoretical approach to the concept of university social responsibility, in order to contribute to the systematization of it and identifying strategies and policies allow the humanization of education and professional forger of the country and the world needs to achieve peace, social justice, welfare, equity and sustainable human development within a framework where democratic values and rights are respected, civil, environmental and cultural.