International Expert Session on the Social Impact of Universities

As part of International Partnership Week, an international expert session, "Rethinking Higher Education: Fifth-Generation University, Service-Learning, and a Human-Centered Social Impact Agenda," was held.

Representatives from universities in Indonesia, Colombia, Peru, China, Serbia, and Thailand participated in the discussion on May 21. Experts discussed the transformation of modern universities in the face of growing demand for the social impact of higher education, new approaches to integrating social impact into teaching and research, and the development of human-centered models of university governance.

Particular attention was paid to service learning as a tool for combining academic learning with solving real-world social problems, developing students' civic responsibility, and strengthening university engagement with local communities. Magdalena Gaete presented experiences and developments related to service learning and social entrepreneurship in Russia and Spain, and discussed international academic initiatives and projects aimed at integrating social impact into university educational activities.

During the session, participants also examined the role of international collaboration, intersectoral cooperation, and the Quintuple Helix model in the development of socially oriented university initiatives. Particular attention was paid to the prospects for joint projects in the areas of social entrepreneurship, sustainable development, and social impact assessment for the period 2026–2028.

The session served as a platform for the exchange of international experience and the discussion of practical mechanisms for strengthening the social mission of universities through education, research, and partnership projects.