La integración de la participación de los estudiantes en proyectos de extensión como componente del currículo universitario

Service mission has been reconceptualized since the beginning of the 20th century and, particularly, in the last five decades. Far from being a marginal mission, separate from the teaching and research, it has been linked with them and with the fourth mission, more recently incorporated, the transfer. Its meaning has expanded and has assumed an important role in the development of the university’s social mission, which is assumed as an integral commitment of the university community in dialogue with the community. Service has included, among its tasks, contributing to the personal, professional, ethical and civic training of students and, at the same time, putting university knowledge at the service of the community. This link with society thus acquires a training role that is increasingly recognized by universities, which assign academic value to student service involvement. The recognition of various types of activity requires that the conditions be carefully established to make this recognition effective. Formal inclusion in the curriculum requires the adoption of a set of choice decisions between the different modalities and the definition of their various aspects. The university curriculum is a complex training project in which different purposes come together and in which the prescriptions and the teaching and learning actions need to be aligned.