CSR/CER

UT PR: Social responsibility is a significant issue in the discourse of "fourth generation" universities with focus on their commitment and accountability towards the peripheral environment including participation in social development, commitment towards the nature, transparency and meritocracy, observance of various public rights and etc. that aim at redesigning bioethics of the environments of their activity. In other words, social responsibility could be described as a collection of duties and commitments that an administration should carry out in line with assistance, protection, preservation and supervision over the society in which it is operating.
    As the most supreme educational and research administration of a society, the university plays a pivotal role in this regard, especially, since the paradigm of development is transformed and the phenomenon of "sustainable development" is focused upon, the issue of social responsibility has acquired considerable attention and credit specifically in fourth generation universities. In essence, the existential philosophy of the university is based on creation of public benefits and welfare through the path of intellectualization, science learning and knowledge-seeking and immoderate and extreme commixture with materialistic and utilitarian logics alienates the university from its inherent and historical identity which is a cultural and social one. On the other hand, scientific findings of research papers and global experiences indicate that a considerable part of dispelling social conflicts, reducing issues of city management and rural development, decreasing governmental costs, poverty alleviation and also attention to special social groups such as the elderly, children, adolescents, the mentally and physically retarded and victims of natural disasters all pass through the passageway of responsibilities of the university. In addition, paying attention to the issue of social ge leads to the growth of social capital through creation and development of degree of factors such as individual and collective sense of content, solidarity of relationships, trust among people and also spirit of cooperation.
    Therefore, it could be claimed that social responsibility of the university is a capacity through which universities are enabled to improve and upgrade their communicative action with the public, local communities, private administrations, ethnic and social groups, civil organizations and NGOs. As a matter of fact, the university pioneers commencement of transformations, leads desirable civil and social changes, conducts promotion of social responsibility and reinforces responsible and ethical identities unto classmates, fellow university students, neighbors, fellow-citizens, compatriots and fellowmen and it is also responsible for preserving the physical and virtual environment.
    Base on the same grounds, University of Tehran (UT), as a pioneer of fourth generation universities and quintessence of higher education of the country, has considered social responsibility as its national and international duty and, within the category of trinary goals in the third 5-year strategic plan of UT (2017-2021), it has emphasized on promotion of ethics and social accountability in format of the following three fields:  reinforcement of professional ethics and accountability, protection of nature and advancement towards the green university, and expansion of supporting environment and improvement of staff health.
    In line with setting such goals, extensive measures have been taken in various units and levels of UT in recent years in accordance with this ethical and social mission. The immense range of these activities and variety of their subject-scope led the Office of Public Relations of UT to design and assemble the cyberspace section in UT media to cover events relevant to this field and current events and also reflect viewpoints of faculty members and students on issue of social responsibility of UT.
As a result, a thematic and exclusive archive will be created and will easily be accessible to the scientific and academic community, researchers, social activists, journalists, the public and enthusiasts all around the country.