Socially Responsible Cooperation Between Universities and Society in the Dimensions of Sustainable Development: Theoretical and Methodological Principles

Abstract

The article highlights sustainable development as a fundamental condition and an unalterable way to preserve the earthly existence and the continuation of the human race and its further successful life and spiritual development on our planet. The leading role of people with higher education in ensuring sustainable development, which requires adequate social responsibility of universities in their training, is substantiated. A critical analysis for the theoretical discourse on social responsibility is carried out. Contradictions of methodological nature both in the theory and practice of realization of social responsibility are revealed, without elimination of which development and implementation of adequate policies and mechanisms of its realization is impossible. Ways to overcome the identified contradictions are identified. Author’s definitions of key terms are presented, in particular: «social responsibility» and «social responsibility of universities». The dimensions of sustainable development of social responsibility are conceptualized. Theoretical models of cooperation between universities and the respective societies depending on the demand for social responsibility in the dimensions of sustainable development are proposed. It is explained that the basic conditions for socially responsible cooperation between universities and the societies are democracy, integrity and morality.