PROSOFI, an academic model for accompany integral development of marginal communities

Abstract

The Pontificia Universidad Javeriana focuses its mission on solving problems of Colombian society, which is reiterated within its policy about University Social Responsibility, USR, inspired by the ignatian principles, setting a fundamental axis of action for poor communities. As an expression of the USR, in 2009, the Faculty of Engineering began structuring an academic, interdisciplinary and inter-organizational strategy called PROSOFI Social Program to generate larger social impacts, which facilitates the creation of networks between researchers, teachers, undergraduate and graduate students from different areas of knowledge, and community, through the development of projects focused on a specific territory.

Both design and implementation of the model were based on participatory methodologies that pretended mainly to be respectful about the cultural practices of the population and facilitate dialogue between popular and academic knowledge, as well as adoption and strengthening of the self-management abilities of population in Usme, Bogotá, for a term between 2010 and 2016. As a prospective planning action a strategic plan was designed in order to facilitate the model applying in different territories and also to give guidance to other educational organizations. Some results between 2010 and 2012 have been the participation of over 250 students from different faculties of the University other institutions, about 30 teachers, being awarded the Colombia Sustainable Environmental Responsibility Award in 2012, and the testimony from the community of Bolonia territory, which confirm that PROSOFI accompany their own development.