The university extension as a dynamizer of the complex social function of the university

Abstract

In the last years, Spanish universities have begun to accept the need for redefining their social function regarding the problems related to the habitat, asking themselves how to integrate the Objectives of Sustainable Development (ODS in its Spanish acronym) in the three different spheres of action: research, education and university extension.

Although it is neccessary a critical reading of the ODS since they are still linked to the idea of ‘sustainable growth’, the truth is that this international agreement (like others sided with its Objectives) offers an opportunity to think deeply about architectural teaching and researching, connecting them to an in-depth revision of the urban and territorial models that allow for moving forward in social equity regarding space use and recovering the territorial equilibrium.

The experience developed within the framework of the Aula Digital de la Ciudad (ADICI) research group shows that schools of architecture can effectively respond to socially relevant problems proposed to them or they can formulate socially relevant problems themselves and involve the different social groups that make up a community.