UNIVERSITY EXTENSION AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION

Abstract

This study analyzes university extension as a fundamental bridge between academic knowledge and social transformation, emphasizing its importance in promoting emancipatory processes and the democratization of knowledge. The research is based on the understanding that extension, beyond a complementary function, constitutes a guiding principle for university practices, enabling the construction of dialogical links between the university and society. The work investigates the conceptions that guide extension actions, problematizes the institutional challenges for its full implementation, and discusses the potential of extension as a space for producing socially referenced knowledge and strengthening communities. The analysis is grounded in critical theoretical frameworks and regulatory frameworks that consolidate extension as an inseparable dimension of teaching and research, pointing to its centrality in building a socially committed university.