With the aim of promoting the production and sharing of knowledge about university extension, the Dean of Extension and Culture (Proec) from Unicamp launched, this Tuesday, (14) the call for articles for the first edition of the Unicamp International University Extension Magazine (International Journal of Outreach and Community Engagement). With an academic profile, peer-reviewed and an international editorial board, the biannual publication will emphasize reflective and analytical articles, which propose significant contributions to the development of the field, as highlighted by Fernando Hashimoto, vice-rector of Extension and Culture. Works for this edition must be submitted by August 31st.
"There is little more analytical scientific production on extension in Brazil (and in the world). Most of the works are narratives and reports, less conceptual. We look for works that focus, for example, on the impact of these actions. This impact is not only social, but also in curricula and postgraduate programs and in research. We would like to see the development of concepts, evaluation indices and metrics", he explained.
Open and digital access, with no fees for submission, publication and reading, is also a highlight of the Journal, as pointed out by Muriel Gavira, advisor to Proec, who coordinated its preparation. "Anyone will be able to submit and access the articles. With this we expand the spread of discussion and knowledge produced", she pointed out.
For her, the publication must play a fundamental role in publicizing the University’s position in the face of social problems. "The University is a central actor in society and is part of it. Understanding its role and what it does can have important implications for what is expected in the future. The Magazine's focus will be to show what has been accomplished, the impact on communities, in the productive sector and in university education itself", he stated.
The Magazine follows the guidelines of the Forum of Pro-Rectors of Extension of Brazilian Public Universities (Forproex), which define university extension as an “interdisciplinary, educational, cultural, scientific and political process that promotes transformative interaction between the University and other sectors of society ”. Dialogical interaction, interdisciplinarity and the inseparability of Teaching-Research-Extension are some of its main defining axes.
In line with the extension research notice launched by Proec in June, the Magazine intends to address topics such as management, communication and impact metrics, as well as challenges and results of university extension actions in different parts of the world.
According to Ernesto Márquez Nerey, president of the Mexican Society for the Dissemination of Science and Technique (SOMEDICYT) and member of the Journal's international board, the publication brings gains to communication between universities and society and to the appreciation of the role of extension on an international level. "The initiative will contribute at the same time to the dissemination of knowledge generated by Unicamp and to the comprehensive training of university students in their ongoing education process. Above all, this initiative will show that knowledge is a key factor in generating competitive advantages. The initiative highlights the leadership role played by Unicamp, emphasizing its commitment to society and university extension", stated Nerey.
The centrality of university extension in connecting University and society has been highlighted since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. For Hashimoto, Unicamp's actions have been an example of this articulation. "More than 400 Unicamp researchers have been together since the beginning of the pandemic, working and showing how important this two-way process that extension promotes is. This is the concept of extension, leading the University to meet the demands of society. Listen to the society and react here within the University, when necessary by modifying our plans", he highlighted.
Another difference of the publication, as highlighted by Muriel Gavira, is the openness to contributions from professionals and members of the communities that partner with university extension actions. Thus, in addition to academic modalities, such as scientific articles, and book reviews or monographs, the Magazine will have a "reflections" session and another on "university extension practices".
The editorial committee includes important academics in the field of extension in the world, such as David J. Weerts, from the University of Minnesota (United States), and Annamaria Inzelt, from the University of Szeged, (Hungary).
Works for the first edition can be submitted until August 31st via link. For other issues, materials can be submitted at any time in digital format, in Portuguese, Spanish and English. Among the evaluation criteria are originality, adequacy to the scope and quality standards of the journal and respect for intellectual property rights, in addition to the Journal's formatting, citations and references standards.
Questions can be sent via e-mail.
