Autonomous University Of Baja California, Mexico

Autonomous University of Baja California, Mexico

Partnerships with government agencies and communities are a common practice at the Autonomous University of Baja California in Mexico. The reason for this is that federal, state and local governments are by law deeply involved in community assistance (development) programs. It is mandatory that higher education institutions in Mexico identify, define and provide the funding for the implementation of a series of civic engagement activities. Furthermore, federal and state laws in Mexico stipulate that all students must participate in a social service program for at least 480 hours in order to obtain a bachelor’s degree.

Since social community service is mandatory for all enrolled students in order to obtain a higher education degree, higher education institutions must provide or at least facilitate the students and faculty, provide legal and administrative support to define and implement social service programs; and sometimes, provide part of the funds needed by programs.

Approach to civic engagement

Civic engagement at the university is deeply instilled in its values of solidarity, reciprocity, honesty and social responsibility.

The mission of the university is to contribute to build a better (stronger) community that is democratic, fair and respectful of the environment. It hopes to achieve this by providing students with high-quality, up-to-date qualifications, giving them a sense of autonomy and commitment, and instilling in them a sense of social responsibility, ethics and engaged citizenship.

Civic engagement as a value of the university is reflected in the fact that civic engagement programs/activities are compulsory for degree purposes. The university has thus designed and implemented a university-wide initiative to incorporate community- linked (Vinculación) programs/activities related to specific topics, considered to be part of the curricula. This allows students to have a unique opportunity to apply what they have learned, in programs oriented to help the less fortunate and at the same time to build stronger partnerships with community.

The university also believes that civic engagement must be reflected in the research activities of the university. Applied research is thus seen as an excellent means for faculty and students to participate in community-based activities.

The university supports civic engagement through formal guidelines that define, document and reward teaching or research in the field of civic engagement such as service-learning and community-based learning, teaching and research. Thus, the students can get academic credits, while the faculty members get academic rewards. Civic engagement at the university is seen as important by its students. The forms of civic engagement that attract the greatest level of student participation at the institution are service-learning and community-based learning, teaching and research. Civic engagement is thus an integral element of university life.

Resources

Due to the fact that the policy framework in Mexico prioritizes community assistance programs, an important part of the financial support for civic engagement at the university comes from government agencies. However, the onus is on the university itself to submit an application for funding and provide the administrative and legal support for any social service programs. Other funding is sourced from national and international foundations and from within the institution itself. The university is also a member of higher education networks that promote civic engagement, for example the National Association for Universities and Higher Education Institutions (Mexico) at a national level, and Ford Foundation at an international level.

Civic engagement is structurally supported at the university through units that have been established in different parts of the institution (faculties, schools, departments) to foster civic engagement programs.

Challenges

Although civic engagement at the university is supported by a conducive policy environment, it could be further strengthened through greater awareness of the importance of civic engagement among both staff and students as well as the incorporation of civic engagement into all staff career plans and university curricula. Furthermore, the policy frameworks do not presently contain clear incentives at local, state and federal government levels for civic involvement by higher education institutions. As a result, the full potential for higher education involvement in civic engagement is still to be realized.

Conclusion

The university has a long history of interaction with other higher education institutions at the local, regional, national and international levels with regards to civic engagement. It has received national awards for conducting successful social service programs and has encouraged civic engagement within the university by identifying, designing, and supporting initiatives, policies and best practices to support social service activities. The university has also been willing to participate in local, regional, national and international events to share new knowledge, experience and expertise with other interested parties. It is thus well placed to play a strategic role in promoting civic engagement networks in the country and the region.

The Program for Applied Research, Assistance and Teaching of Small Firms

The Program for Applied Research, Assistance and Teaching of Small Firms (PRATS) was created in 1999 at the university as a service-learning program. It was integrated into the curriculum as part of the requirement for the course Small Firms Analysis which incorporates fundamental economic and financial instruments required for the analysis of how small firms are performing. Students enroll in this course in order to be trained as consultants to small firms, and are then placed at various small firms where they are able to apply the skills they have learned. In fact, this curricular strategy was only the beginning of a wider project that ultimately came to incorporate three main components: a faculty network, student activities and the involvement of different supporting organizations.

The students act as advisers to the firms, collect data on the internal workings of the firms, and examine the broader contexts in which the firms are operating. On this basis, the students are able to use real data and assist the small entrepreneurs in real problem solving. This widens the students’ understanding while benefiting the owners of these small firms and in this way the program is beneficial to all parties concerned. Students are also trained in various software packages such as the System of Small Firms Analysis (designed by students and staff at the university), MS-Excel and E-Views.

The success of the program has gained the attention of non-governmental organizations, government agencies and other universities, and is to be extended more widely. Various partners have invested approximately $200,000 to transform the Program for Applied Research, Assistance and Teaching of Small Firms into a model that will enable other higher education institutions to reproduce it as a service-learning program.

At a glance

Name of institution Autonomous University of Baja California Country Mexico Total number of undergraduate students in 29,980 2005 Total number of graduate students in 2005 951 Type of institution Public Extent of students participating in civic 75-100% engagement activities Extent of faculty participating in civic 10-25% engagement activities  National Association for Universities National, regional and international and Higher Education Institutions affiliations (Mexico)  Ford Foundation