Linkage / extension in latin america: a brief look at the twentieth century

Abstract

The university extension, called "third function of the university", is the means by which the university maintains continuous interaction with society. It is a field of dispute related to the history of student movements, institutions of higher education and the State. This work aims to conceptually understand the university extension in the twentieth century in Latin America. For this reason, we analyze the background of its emergence in Europe and the United States at the end of the 19th century, the arrival on the continent and its development and institutionalization in the main public universities of Latin America. An effort was made to link the Latin American bibliography including the Brazilian experiences, many times not contemplated in the Hispano-American studies. The elaboration of the historical review helps us to understand the diversity of university extension nowadays and to project to new conceptual and action challenges.