Theoretical and Methodological Reflections on theComprehensive Local and Regional DevelopmentProgram of the School of Planning and SocialPromotion at the National Universityof Costa Rica

Abstract

At the National University, academic units develop programs that combine the three core university functions, such as the Comprehensive Program for Planning and Management of Local and Regional Development (PIPEDE), whose main component is outreach. The program’s history raises questions about its theoretical and methodological foundations, achievements, and challenges for comprehensive implementation at the local level. This article proposes a theoretical and methodological framework, considering the categories of local development and participatory planning as developed by the program, from interpretive perspectives based on in-depth interviews and a review of documents from various primary and secondary sources. Among the main findings, participatory planning stands out as the ethical and political foundation of PIPEDE’s academic  work, grounded in critical theory and university outreach as developed in Latin America. Furthermore, social promotion is emphasized as an approach for integrating excluded sectors of Costa Rican society through dialogical and participatory interaction, with active student input, leveraging the experiences, perspectives, and perspectives of all individuals and community organizations. The results highlight the crucial role of
intra- and extra-university participation as a foundation for social transformation through local development,
critical outreach, and participatory action research. Furthermore, from a broader perspective, the results offer insight into local power dynamics—an idea that is not the sole focus of this article, but which particularly
reflects the sustainability of the empowerment processes and initiatives developed by PIPEDE over more than  20 years of catalyzing initiatives in communities.