On January 1, 2024, the FUESE project was approved by the European Union, aimed at evaluating the impact of the Extension actions and policies that Central American universities develop in the Region.
The project is made up of 12 Central American and two European institutions. The CRiEDO of the UAB participates as main partner and coordinates WP 2 (Collaboration and Internationalization) and the work team is made up of Aleix Barrera, Diego Castro (Cood. UAB), Joaquín Gairín and Cecilia Inés Suárez. The FUESE project consolidates CRiEDO’s leadership in the region and relations with UDELAS as project coordinator.
The purpose of the project is to strengthen the impact of higher education institutions on the socioeconomic ecosystem by evaluating the impact and transforming institutional policies and practices.
With a duration of three years (until December 2026) and a financial envelope of €794,340.00, the proposal was presented at Erasmus-EDU-2023, Capacity Building in the field of Higher Education. This project aims to install new capabilities in higher education institutions in Central America.
Starting from the concept of Culture of Equity, as a framework that can be realized, among others, through the policies and practices of University Extension, and whose mission is oriented to the development of Socioeconomic Capabilities in the promotion of culture, socio-community, employability and the entrepreneurship of Objectively Vulnerable Target Groups by capitalizing on the knowledge, transfer and innovation of the university context with the collaboration of the private sector, the Social Impact of higher education institutions can be strengthened. From this perspective, the project is structured in 5 fundamental principles that allow its justification and foundation:
- The Culture of equity, as an axiological and ontological reference that allows action to be founded.
- University Extension considered doubly as part of the structure and mission of the universities and, also, as a tool that concretizes university action on the territory.
- The possibility of installing and developing socioeconomic capabilities in people, groups and communities as content of the policies and practices of University Extension.
- Objectively vulnerable target groups.
- The Social Impact of the actions developed by higher education institutions.
The initial meeting started on February 15 and will end on March 20, 21 and 22 in person at the UDELAS Panama headquarters.
