World Experience in the Implementation of Social Responsibility of Universities

Abstract

The article focuses on the issue of the social role of higher education institutions, in particular in the context of the war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and in the post-war period. Based on the study of scientific works of domestic and foreign scholars on the research issue, the results of personal developments in this area, as well as the official websites of universities in Western countries, the author analyses the activities of universities in the implementation of social responsibility. The analysis of the world experience in implementing the social responsibility of universities made it possible to identify the peculiarities of this activity, the components of the “social infrastructure” of foreign universities, and the main aspects of popularizing university initiatives on social responsibility. A review of reports posted on university websites on the implementation of the third role made it possible to identify certain problematic issues which experts and scientists are working on, involving students and stakeholders. Based on the results obtained, it is concluded that the reviewed experience of the world's leading universities in terms of their social engagement and implementation of the social function is interesting, useful and necessary for domestic higher education institutions. The author notes that the focus of universities on the identified features and forms of social responsibility, the elaboration of a development strategy for the institution based on them, taking into account the capabilities and goals of a particular university, as well as the specifics of higher education in Ukraine, will allow achieving a positive effect on the reputation of the institution, mobilization of resources, and hence the real economic result, to support the sustainable development of the territorial community and facilitate the process of rebuilding the country in particular. When a higher education institution is managed on the basis of social responsibility, the university has an impact on its stakeholders (internal and external stakeholders), the economy, the external environment, society and the state in particular.