Universidad Construye País (University Builds Country) is a network of universities whose goal is to expand the concept and practice of social responsibility in Chilean universities. The participating universities agree to place ethical considerations at the centre of their academic and organizational activities. Thirteen universities from five regions of Chile are officially involved in the project: Valparaíso University, Federico Santa María Technical University, Pontificial Catholic University of Valparaíso, Playa Ancha University (5th Region), University of Concepción, University of the Bío-Bío (8th Region), University of La Frontera, Temuco Catholic University (9th Region), Southern University of Chile (10th Region), University of Chile, Pontificial Catholic University of Chile, University of Santiago de Chile and Alberto Hurtado University (Metropolitan Region).
For the last 15 years, has developed a political, economic and social process built on a successful consensus, inserted and recognized in the world economic order. Democracy has been strengthened and there has also been sustained economic growth, as seen in macroeconomic figures, and also perceivable in social issues. At large, Chilean population has experienced more access to employment and higher income, allowing more and better access to quality goods and services. Nonetheless, the gap between poor and rich has hardly moved over this period of time -Gini coefficient ranks places at a high inequality level. A type of social disintegration can be observed: people live in segmented cities and demands towards environment protection, recognition of ethnic and cultural diversity, and crime reduction among others have increased.
This context shows the need for committed and socially responsible citizens, operating from civil society organizations, industry and the State. Society needs citizens that are able to generate permanent alliances aimed at reaching a truly democratic culture and sustainable development. Promising changes have been put forward by some private companies, acting with intelligence and social responsibility and by doing so, acquiring social legitimacy, credibility, and gaining confidence in the community. In addition, civil servants have re-conceptualized their work to a more citizen-orientated perspective, concerned with elevating the quality of services provided to society. Civil society is also rearticulating and organizing itself in order to have a greater presence and participation in the construction of their country. Amongst this sector, universities are genuinely suited to face this challenge. As educators of men and women, universities should be able to reach consciousness amongst them as citizens committed to the development of their country. Also, as research agents, universities should work in tune with the needs and features of the country and play and important role in their area of knowledge.
The project Universidad construye país (University Builds Country) emerged under the aim of expanding the concept and practice of Social University Responsibility as a means of appealing to the universities on the basis of these challenges.
The initiative was launched in 2001 by the association of PARTICIPA (PARTICIPATE) Corporation and AVINA Foundation, sponsor of the project. 13 universities from 5 regions of the country are officially part of the project: Valparaíso, Técnica Federico Santa María, Católica de Valparaíso, Playa Ancha (V Region); Concepción, Bio-Bio, (VIII Region); la Frontera, Católica de Temuco, (IX Region); Austral de Chile, (X Region); de Chile, Católica de Chile, Santiago de Chile y Alberto Hurtado, (Metropolitan Region).
University Builds Country was founded in the year 2001, with the purpose of expanding the concept and practice of Social Responsibility in Chilean universities, in order to face the needs required towards the construction of the desired country. The specific aims of the project are:
To typify a country project, incorporating social responsibility values in economic, social, cultural, environmental and political areas.
To spread the concept and practice of social responsibility by means of attended activities, virtual information and interactive media around the theme, nationally and internationally.
To link universities together around the subject of social responsibility both at regional and national level.
To set up the subject of social responsibility in Chilean universities on an institutional basis.
The project has been developed in two stages. Throughout the first stage (2001 – 2003), the Project has developed the following tasks:
First Year (2001): Rising consciousness: The emphasis was placed on creating a working community shaped by faculty, civil servants, and students, positioning the subject of Social Responsibility in each university. Leaders and university teams developed a shared concept to shape the Project and the scenario in which this to be placed. Important actions from this first stage were the Strategic Planning Conference, with the participation of faculty and students from project universities, and a first project seminar, entitled “Assuming the country: University Level Social Responsibility”.
Second Year (2002): The second year was oriented, conceptually, to specify the meaning of University Social Responsibility. This was carried out by means of both attended and virtual workshops by representatives from all of the universities involved. Through this task, consensus on the concept of social responsibility was reached. These workshops also helped to describe a group of values and principles required by a socially responsible university. These served as a base to create an instrument aimed at observing Social Responsibility within our universities, applied by some of them in order to obtain an appraisal of their own reality. At this stage, a second strategic planning workshop took place, the second project seminar was entitled “The University Builds the Country” and it came alongside workshops and similar activities in several universities. Shared Conceptual Development: http://www.construyepais.cl/search87e2.html
Third Year (2003): Setting up: The emphasis was placed on the development of activities and programmes aimed at setting up the subject of Social Responsibility in the associated universities. At this stage, the following seminars should be highlighted: 'Educating Towards Social Responsibility', the first 'Socially Responsible University National Leadership Encounter' as well as the arrangements made towards an associated universities' project to be delivered at MECESUP -- aiming to incorporate the subject of Social Responsibility into the curriculum.
The second stage of University Builds Country is presently being developed (2004 – 2005), engaging the following four lines of action:
Action 1: Experience regarding the link between university and the region: promoting and facilitating proved experience of universities engaged in the development of their region by means of articulating actors from a range of social sectors. This work is being shaped in the project “Chile Regional 2020”, settled by the associated universities, in alliance with four other organizations. This project aims at building up a country development project from the regions in the mid term, with the participation of all sectors and designed to become a point of reference where consensus has been reached for different social sectors.
Action 2: Public policies for higher education: This proposal is to impinge on public policies governing higher education in Chile in order to encourage University Social Responsibility. This is carried out through the participation of project leaders in decision-making processes of public policies and through the dissemination of reflections and positions around these.
Action 3: To consolidate the setting up of the concept and the practice of University Social Responsibility (USR): To spread the concept and practice of University Social Responsibility at the associated universities and maintain networks of university leaders committed to this end. Under this purpose, this period will see each university celebrate a University Social Responsibility Day, putting forward undergone experiences, reflection panels, etc. Moreover, a register will be developed and a book published including innovative USR experiences. Likewise, an international seminar will be arranged around USR as a constituent of university functions: teaching, research, extension and management.
Action 4: Curricular innovation pilot experience for USR: Development of a pilot project of curricular innovation for University Social Responsibility, in six Chilean universities associated to this end. This project is carried out under the sponsorship of public resources, obtained through a tendering process called by the Chilean Ministry of Education, aimed at improving the quality of higher education (MECESUP)
Scholars from each university are responsible for creating the teams in charge of developing project activities. Each team has a leader appointed by the highest University authority, who has previously signed a commitment to support the constitution of the project team at his/her university. Each team carries out activity projects, establishes links, disseminates and supports other social responsibility activities at the university, helping to provide visibility and give coherence and practice to the actions of faculty, students and staff.
Also, at a more indirect level - financial support for the project is enjoyed by hundreds of scholars, administrative staff, students and members of other sectors related to national issues who are connected to the project (business community, politicians, education personnel). Contact to these sectors can be increased through publications and the internet.
Among the results obtained, the most relevant are:
Establishment of a university network and the commitment of 13 university presidents to the expansion of USR in their universities.
Creation of teams made up by scholars and students at each university, led by a faculty member designated by the University highest authority. The aim is to count on a community of leaders from different universities who work together and support one another, sharing and enriching each other on the basis of their perspectives, experiences, equipment and resources in order to improve USR.
Appointment of two university presidents and a female dean with explicit USR programmes in the associated universities.
Institutionalizing social responsibility within the structure of several associated universities and the creation of a special body in another university: Programme of University Social Responsibility in Concepción University.
MECESUP project develops a project focused on incorporating Social Responsibility into the curriculum of six universities, with resources provided by the State.
“Chile Regional 2020” project launched by 5 organizations and institutions to develop a long-range vision and strategy of harmonious development, built from and for the country regions and which will be extend to the whole country.
USR conceptual frame of reference reached with broad participation and consensus is an instrument to monitor the practice of USR at the universities. This frame and instrument is a platform to unify concepts amongst universities and carry out diagnostics and working plans based on a trustful instrument.
Publication of three books which strengthen aspects of national and university realities, from the point of view of Social Responsibility, with relevant experts´ contribution (three national seminars).
Bringing out visibility, reflection and learning experiences regarding social responsibility carried out by university students through a meeting of national university representatives in Santiago, also through events undertaken at the universities themselves.
USR broad dissemination through the Web site of the project and through information and communication systems between members of the initiative (www.construyepais.cl).
The results mentioned above have helped to establishing a set of bases and platforms which just need to be used, empowered, and channelled in order to carry on a process of cultural change within universities and the higher education system as a whole.
An important lesson we have learned is that what tends to last is what remains established, both materially and structurally. In this line, we have proven that minutes taken at meetings, reports on activities and workshops, recordings and publications of lectures and seminars, systematizing and edition of proposals and experiences, among others, are part of an accumulated capital that displays the creation of ideas and constitute an important referent to the Project. Likewise, teams and activities incorporated into the organizational structure of the universities provide steady and systematic work with far reaching projection. Alongside structural and equipment settling up, the presence in each University of leaders and teams is essential. Structures are the support, but those who always mobilize people are individuals with conviction, charisma and leadership. Identifying these leaders, supporting them and giving them the required tools is seminal for the setting up and sustainability of USR beyond the Project. This point is still to be reinforced in some universities.Another lesson learned is the importance of the initial strategic planning and its constant monitoring, making adjustments when required. Good planning typifies an orientation and defines the lines of action, along with the specific activities. Monitoring allows noticing those elements which need to be re-programmed and be harmoniously integrated into the purpose and strategic ends, without losing focus. To this project, strategic planning has been a key management instrument in attaining the general objectives.
Together with the aforementioned, flexibility is important in giving place to the emerging conditions or other aspects unperceived by initial planning. Strictness in complying with the plan alongside flexibility in incorporating new aspects ensure that the project will not be diverted from its essential orientation, nor will it break or be paralyzed when faced with new developments. Finally, as a contribution by the associated universities´ members, the joining of an institution that does not belong to any of the associated universities was perceived as important in order to energize and coordinate the process. This figure might be changed, but it will always be necessary for a supra university entity to assume this role.
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