University: Articulation of Teaching, Research, and University Extension

Abstract

University extension, teaching and research are the academic purposes of the National University of Costa Rica. The integration of these three pillars defines the academy doing as a resulting product of their fulfillment. Based on this assumption, concerns arise on how the statutory considerations referred to the importance of those university tasks are put into practice into the different academic instances in an articulated way. Most importantly, how to make these statutory considerations be reflected in the job of those who have full-time academic job. Hence, the objective of this research consists of supporting an academic conception of university which includes teaching, research and university extension with the purpose of encouraging the university instances to undertake their management through a daily basis action and a planning process by formulating an academic program that allows the articulation of those university tasks. The articulation of extension with research and teaching must be based on a clear conceptualization, and implementation will involve the commitment of the entire university community; for which it will be necessary, as a first instance, an evaluation of how the academic job is managed. That means to consider the distribution of resources, and it is likely to provoke a strategic reformulation to reach a university committed to the excellence of the formation of professionals, the development of research, and the dialogue with communities.