Development Education And University Social Responsibility

Abstract

The university model promoted by the European Union is becoming increasingly debated. The Spanish University system has undergone numerous changes over the last decade, and the adaptation process to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) is still open and active. This has sparked a debate which raises opposing viewpoints, with no common ground on concepts, lacking university policies and a legal basis, as shown in the document created by the Technical Commission of University Strategy 2015, published in December 2011 by the Ministry of Education University Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development.In this ongoing debate the concept of University Social Responsibility (USR) is constantly reiterated. One of the characteristic aspects of this debate is that the concept of USR is presented as a new construct. This paper aims to demonstrate that some aspects of USR have already been regulated, such as development education from the perspective of the fifth generation.There are references in the legislative frameworks defined by the educational system, as well as in the field of development assistance. Fulfilling these rules creates a model of university system that clearly contributes in the educational impact of USR, in terms of development education of the fifth generation. Thus, universities will be formative elements from the perspective of human development and will have a considerable bearing on the models, actions and decisions taken.Here are some of the references: the Declaration in Support and Defence of Spanish Public Universities of the Spanish Ministry of Education; the Action Plan for the Support and Modernisation of Spanish Public Universities within the framework of University Strategy 2015; Law 23/1998, dated 7 July, on International Development Co-operation; the Organic Law 10/2002, dated 23 December, on Quality of Education; Law 27/2005, dated 30 November, on Promotion of Education and a Culture of Peace; Organic Law of Education 2/2006, dated 3 May; Organic Law 4/2007, dated 12 April, amending Organic Law on Universities 6/2001, 21 December; Royal Decree 1393/2007, dated 29 October, establishing the Planning of Official University Studies; the Evaluation Protocol for the Verification of Recognised University Degrees (Bachelor and Master's Degree) of the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation and the Guide to Drawing up the Memorandum for Applications for the Verification of Recognised Degrees (Bachelor and Master's Degree) of the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA).