Developing Social Responsibility in University Students

Social responsibility is a component of economic and social sustainability that influences the quality of life of communities. Therefore, people must be the starting point, as they participate in solving the problems of society. In this process, the universities have a fundamental role because in them there is a relationship between academia and reality and they are agents of social change. In this way, university social responsibility emerges as a policy of performance, of students, professors and managers by influencing the loyalty, satisfaction and perception they have of HIEs. Consequently, it is a reflection of the curricula and substantive functions of universities (research, projection and extension). From this perspective, the objective of the study is to measure the level of social responsibility and commitment of the main actor of the educational process that is the student. The incidental sample of the research was 120 students aged between 18 and 38 years. In the study, the instrument used for data collection, called construction of Social Responsibility of the University Student (RSEU), consisting of 21 items. The results show that the level of social responsibility and commitment of students in general is high (4.70). With respect to the scores of the dimensions of the study, it should be taken into account that they are in the following order; professional practice from social commitment (4.98), personal discovery of values (4.74), item criteria (4.61), social responsibility training (4.60), commitment to others and the environment (4, 52). It is concluded that the students in the sample have a high level of social responsibility, taking into account the elements of vocation and service, teamwork and influence in the immediate environment. Similarly, the results show that the commitment to others and the environment, the search for the common good, empathy and service to the other, represent the elements with the lowest values. It is recommended that social responsibility permeates the entire curriculum and that academic programs offer subjects and courses that involve social, scientific and cultural activities in which students participate. Consequently, projects and activities that lead to sensitivity should be encouraged in academic programs and classes to strengthen skills such as leadership, creativity, tolerance, responsibility and self-esteem. According to the above, the university must prepare responsible professionals with a vision for the development of their immediate contexts, the construction of a country and a global world. This study invites us to rethink the need for more research in this regard.