International Perspectives on Policies, Practices & Pedagogies for Promoting Social Responsibility in Higher Education: Volume 32

We are living in challenging times when the world is fighting to survive the impact of climate changes, growth of pandemics, an unprecedented flow of migrant population, war and destruction. We are also witnessing the phenomena of globalization, economic and technological growth, which are also leading to various opportunities for growth. The desire for inclusive education, equality in accessibility and sustainability has led to responsible and accountable organizations of higher education. Business houses, along with international agencies and institutions of higher education, are now putting their heads together to find a solution to societal and environmental problems. They are often engaged in debating, drafting policies and involving in active research while investing in implementing and communicating issues pertaining to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability (Vogel, 2005). The concept of CSR has grabbed the attention of media, academia, national governments, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations. Universities are no longer functioning in isolation but are getting prepared to accommodate and be a part of social change by actively involving students in community life and not confining them to classroom teaching as the only means of teaching–learning method (Sengupta, Blessinger, & Yamin, 2019). This book aims to explore scientific literature pertaining to the subject of social responsibility (SR) and theoretical positions on social ethics and the value orientation of the institutions of higher education. Policies and practices used in various institutions are cited as case studies which give us an insight into the cultural environment of the organization, which is essential to embed SR into the curriculum. Policies and pedagogies that are based on inculcation of SR can lead to the social and economic benefit of students and society at large. While no one approach is prescribed as the benchmark, the chapters help us to understand the practices that academics are implementing in India, Nigeria, Canada, New Zealand and the United States.

The importance of academic curriculum in higher education cannot be overemphasised. This explains the scrutiny to which the various models employed for the development of higher education programmes curriculum are subjected. In spite of the numerous scrutiny, higher education curriculum development is still infested with downsides. Solutions to these problems have been proffered by the strategy employed by Curriculum Development and Implementation Branch, Manitoba Department of Education in the development of the curriculum for Canadian Art Education in Manitoba.

The inability to incorporate social responsibility into curriculum of higher education programmes has been a major setback in the actualisation of social responsibility in higher education in Nigeria. The tertiary institutions therefore need to look beyond just issuing degrees and diplomas but inculcate in their students the need to think beyond individual interest to societal interest. Based on this backdrop, this chapter explores the strategies employed by the Manitoba Department of Education in the curriculum development and how these strategies can be implemented in Nigeria for the inclusion of social responsibility into the curriculum of higher education. It focuses on identifying the variables integral to the construction of curricula of higher education programmes in the south-west geopolitical zone Nigeria.

Educational institutions have long been considered a prerogative of charity with an aim to illuminate the human being with the light of knowledge and a social responsibility for working toward developing a better society. In this era of social responsibility, contribution of educational institutions, beyond transaction, appears to be ignored. This chapter proposes an “Integrated Model for Educational Social Responsibility” and highlights need of giving due recognition to an important section of curriculum in education – The Community Work, named variously as co-curricular activity, extension work, volunteer work, social activity, etc. The chapter has presented a vision for comprehensively uniting the varied social charity efforts that are being put up by various entities in doing the similar kind of work.

The chapter discusses historical perspective on social responsibility, concept of corporate social responsibility and educational social responsibility (ESR), importance of ESR, need for corporate educational social responsibility (CESR), planning and strategizing CESR, process for developing CESR, areas of integration for CESR, approaches for integrating socially responsible curriculum, embedded model for ESR and finally the challenges of integration. The CESR model if envisioned in the right manner can go a long way in not only building a sustainable society but also in developing socially responsible people. There is a need of comprehensive efforts on the same footing where the organizations need to work in parallel rather than opposite to each other.

This chapter uses the re-development of an undergraduate business degree in a large Australasian university as a case study of the systematic embedding of social responsibility into the curriculum. The chapter discusses the drivers for curriculum change including the converging desires of both employers and students for business education to not only equip graduates with thinking skills for a fast-changing future but also provide guidance to students on becoming ethical leaders. The design thinking process that underpinned the curriculum re-development is outlined and the graduate profile and curriculum structure that emerged from the process are discussed. The graduate profile includes an aspirational goal for students to be future generators for sustainable value for business and society at large. Attainment of this goal is supported by development of other aspects of the graduate profile and the structure of the degree itself. Students are required to undertake multi/interdisciplinary study in order to expose them to different perspectives and ways of thinking and doing. They are scaffolded through the development of an understanding of social responsibility in business and the application of ethical frameworks to complex problems over the course of three years, through four compulsory courses. The chapter notes the importance of the hidden curriculum in teaching social responsibility and demonstrates how the teaching of social responsibility in the business curriculum is reinforced through the structure of the degree and consistency with both the Business School’s and University’s mission.

Social responsibility can be defined as a personal investment in the well-being of others. In my opinion, social responsibility is linked with the social inclusion issue. So, the social responsibility culture means the society of tolerant citizens. The aim of the university is to promote a social responsibility culture through education and prepare tolerant students. The social responsibility is to develop professional and social competences much needed for a global higher education establishment. The chapter examines a Polish case study. It is divided into two parts: (1) to define a social responsibility as a social inclusive idea; and (2) to present the process of teaching about refugees’ social inclusion.

Analyzing the economic and social benefits of knowledge and skills from competencies acquired from university education is a critical source for transforming society – which can foster discussions on significant planning areas that are necessary for developing strategies for completion, where job creation, developing skills, cultivating informed citizenship, and disseminating knowledge are core concerns. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the impacts of university education on economic development and social responsibilities at all aspects, including social and economic benefits that can lead to improvement of living standards of individuals and society. The chapter does not take a supportive opinion on a particular perspective being more socially just, economically sound or beneficial to individuals or society. However, the chapter looks at literature that is pertinent to the usefulness of universities in relation to transformation of individual and society. Higher education is a determinant of income and one of the most important investments a country should choose to make in its citizens because it provides workforce with professions, technical, and managerial skills – creating attitudes and changes necessary for the socialization, modernization, and the overall transformation of the societies.

In a context that is directly linked to the interest movement that was borrowed by institutions of higher education, authors such as Michel Freitag (1995, 2002, 2008, 2011), Bill Readings (1997) or Michel Seymour (2013) focused on the misappropriation of the foundations of education, in favor of the economic needs of the new corporatist society.

Through his work on the idea of recognition, Axel Honneth (1996, 2007a, 2007b, 2010, 2014) has managed to draw an interesting critique of contemporary Western society and the “use” it makes of individuals. With the publication of Disrespect: The Normative Foundation of Critical Theory (Honneth, 2007b) and Reification: A Recognition Theoretical View (Honneth, 2007a), Honneth sets the tone for the demanding character of his critique, which calls for a reconsideration of the intrinsic value of subjects, with regard to their own needs, their freedom and their identity.

Considering that higher education institutions tend to focus more and more on private interests, for example, by considerably diminishing professors’ academic freedom over the years, it seems imperative to question these power relations between them and civil society (which, of course, is not homogeneous). This will be the subject of our chapter, which will be based on works from both philosophy and sociology.

The radical center is a space of convergence among overlapping circles, a space in which various ecosystems come into contact. In this chapter, we discuss curricular approaches that take their home in this radical center, leveraging documentary mediamaking practices to connect students, disciplinary approaches, community members, and organizing efforts in relationships of transparency, accountability, and mutuality. In such contexts, students can be equipped to create responsible documentaries through engaged pedagogies that focus on critical documentary theory and understanding of individual location (Coles, 1997). This chapter presents two case studies that facilitated documentary-as-praxis in different communities in the Lehigh Valley, in Pennsylvania.

This chapter presents a poverty simulation as a critical pedagogical tool that breaks down preconceptions and provides information about real-life challenges experienced by those who are poor. It allows students to develop the critical thinking skills, perspective-taking, and empathy. It provides an opportunity to take social and intellectual risks, and motivates civic engagement for positive social change. As such, this chapter contributes to the volume’s focus on curriculum and pedagogical changes using education to promote social change. Simulation participants attempt to successfully negotiate four 15-minute weeks within families of various sizes and resources. At the conclusion of the simulation, participants take a few minutes to reflect in writing on their experience. Students identify and discuss the social structures that they felt helped to perpetuate their poverty, as well as how micro-level interactions (i.e., with service providers, teachers, police, people in their neighborhood) affected their outcomes. Results show students increased understanding of the social issues contributing to poverty as well as consequences of poverty, and they report an increased desire to take action to affect positive social change in their community. The chapter concludes with thoughts and recommendations on how students from various disciplines could benefit from this poverty simulation.

Higher education has to develop personal and professional competences of students and to improve their knowledge and skills as well as their sense of civic engagement and understanding of cultural and social issue. Moreover, higher education research suggests that the use of technology, e-learning and online course can provide a powerful learning experience for students (Volman, 2005). Thus, e-service-learning (E-SL), “…an electronic form of experiential education and incorporates electronically supported service learning” (Malvey, Hamby, & Fottler, 2006, p. 187) could be a teaching and learning methodology to reach these goals. Indeed:

it is delivered online and uses the Internet and state of the art technologies that permit students, faculty, and community partners to collaborate at a distance in an organized, focused, experiential service-learning activity, which simultaneously promotes civic responsibility and meets community needs. (Malvey et al., 2006, p. 187)

it is delivered online and uses the Internet and state of the art technologies that permit students, faculty, and community partners to collaborate at a distance in an organized, focused, experiential service-learning activity, which simultaneously promotes civic responsibility and meets community needs. (Malvey et al., 2006, p. 187)

Starting from a theoretical analysis of the evolution of E-SL, this chapter describes a case study of the use of E-SL in English Language Teaching (ELT) education and reveals the effects that it produces on the development of digital skills, teaching abilities and professional identity of pre-service teachers.

This chapter describes an online certificate program offered to refugees who are in refugee camps and other populations living on the margins. The program was created in partnership with diverse stakeholders to reflect the need for pathways to higher education for refugees who have few, if any, opportunities to participate in higher education. The authors briefly discuss the gaps in services in refugee camps that informed and inspired the creation of an online program that focuses on social work skills. Next, the authors provide a background and description of a multi-player partnership that was needed to create the pathway for refugees to attain higher education credentials in an accredited US institution and share findings from instructor and program feedback instruments, as well as focus groups, that speak to elements of the program, both in design and in implementation. The chapter concludes with a recommendation, for what can be implemented in online social work education as to enhance student experience and create possibilities of sharing varied values and respect across differences, as well as common language of social justice and transformation.