EXTENSÃO UNIVERSITÁRIA COMO COMPROMISSO SOCIAL: UMA ANÁLISE A PARTIR DO CAMPUS LAGOA DO SINO DA UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE SÃO CARLOS

Abstract

This article analyzes university extension at the Lagoa do Sino campus of the Federal University of São Carlos, considering its context of creation, development, and the specificities of a rural campus located in a region with low Human Development Index (HDI). This study aimed to identify how university extension is portrayed in the institution’s official documents and materialized in academic practices. The methodology adopted was documentary analysis, which encompassed the Institutional Development Plan, the Implementation Proposal of the Lagoa do Sino campus, the General Regulation of Extension, management reports, and records of the ACIEPEs. The results indicate that extension is systematically presented in the documents as a strategic mechanism for regional development, promoting integration among teaching, research, and extension, with emphasis on valuing local knowledge and collective knowledge construction. It is concluded that extension at Lagoa do Sino embodies a strong social and cultural commitment in dialogue with local specificities.