UNIVERSITY EXTENSION IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION. THE CASE OF URUGUAY

This paper discusses the pedagogical potential of university extension, when it is integrated to the teaching and research processes. For this, the main results of a case study carried out in the period August 2011-February 2013 are presented within the framework of the Administracion Nacional de Educacion Publica (ANEP) and the Universidad de la Republica (Udelar) (Uruguay). After presenting the Uruguayan policy of university extension, the article summarizes some conceptualizations of university pedagogical models, proposing its complementation from the experiences studied. Finally, the main findings of the research in three levels of analysis are presented: the teacher's role changes; the university extension potential for curriculum transformation, and some difficulties faced in relation to the institutional framework of experiences.