The Third Mission in Brazilian Federal Universities: An Analysis of Their Impact for the Culture and Associated Actions to the Sustainable Development Principles

Abstract: The concept of Development as synonym of Economic Expansion has been attacked frequently and deeply. Governments, social groups, intellectual and educational circles are questioning and being questioned about the future. Natural resources have been explored and exploited in a massive path, in a platform that combines technology and capital. In the middle of this discussion, innovation comes to light as the main engine of this development. In another dimension, Universities, relevant actors in the innovation systems, expand their activities to fulfill their Third Mission, beyond the first, Teaching, and second, Research, which means the development of their environment, including Sustainability. So, the question of this paper is if Third Mission and Sustainability are autonomous and opposed concepts to solve the economic, social and environmental problems. The proposition is to point the grade of interrelation between the concepts while development tools of society. The investigation, as an exploratory study, evaluates the intensity of internalization of the Third Mission and Sustainability concepts in the Brazilian federal public universities. Supported by a relevant literature review, the analysis axes were defined. In addition, a strategic plans and actions review completed the map. A case study added empirical evidence. Results point that universities use the third mission concept. The relationship university — third mission — sustainability has solid links in the Brazilian public universities, which include the themes in their strategic plans. The conclusion of this paper is that Third Mission and Sustainability are not oppose but even embedded concepts.

Key words: third mission; sustainability; universities extension; innovation

JEL code: Z1