A self-assessment tool for social responsibility in higher education. Reporting on a national policy development process in Portugal
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
ISSN: 1467-6370
Article publication date: 7 October 2021
Issue publication date: 26 April 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Providing higher education institutions (HEIs) with a tool for self-assessing their social responsibility (SR) that generates the information and knowledge necessary to a strategic approach to adopting the Green Paper recommendations about the SR of HEIs. Setting out the collaborative policy development process to construct the tool “Indicators of SR of HEIs” (ISRHEI).
Design/methodology/approach
After a literature review, including self-assessment (SA) tools and leading guidelines, a working group of 24 Portuguese HEIs was created to co-construct the ISRHEI tool, which was then subject to validation in a pilot study.
Findings
There are 34 indicators in the ISRHEI tool, structured by sequential levels according to the HEI alignment with SR (policies, procedures, practices and monitoring along a strategic continuum) hoping to achieve impacts on the organisational, educational, cognitive and social level.
Originality/value
This is an innovative and national policy development process for SR in Portugal. It gives insights into guiding documents, SA indicators for SR and the process of developing consensus on this topic amongst 24 HEIs in Portugal. The ISRHEI tool is tailored to the specific characteristics and level of development of HEIs.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank to ORSIES and all the Portuguese Higher Education Institutions. The ISHREI is the result of all the contributions of the Working Group participants to strength the SR in Portuguese HEIs.
Citation
Fonseca, S. and Lobo Fernandes, J. (2022), "A self-assessment tool for social responsibility in higher education. Reporting on a national policy development process in Portugal", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 23 No. 4, pp. 848-864. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2021-0119
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited