Third Mission and identity in a Catholic university: The Universidad de La Sabana case

This case study examines the comprehensive strategies employed by Universidad de La Sabana to align its Third Mission with its Catholic identity after a media and public opinion crisis in 2015. The crisis, triggered by controversial remarks from a university professor during a national debate on sam...

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Main Author: Juan F. Córdoba-Marentes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-07-01
Series:Church, Communication and Culture
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23753234.2024.2405053
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author Juan F. Córdoba-Marentes
author_facet Juan F. Córdoba-Marentes
author_sort Juan F. Córdoba-Marentes
collection DOAJ
description This case study examines the comprehensive strategies employed by Universidad de La Sabana to align its Third Mission with its Catholic identity after a media and public opinion crisis in 2015. The crisis, triggered by controversial remarks from a university professor during a national debate on same-sex adoption, underscored the necessity for the university to assert its institutional values while navigating the complexities of public scrutiny. In response, the university undertook organizational realignments, including the establishment of new strategic committees, the development of communication training programs, and the enhancement of its Legal Clinic’s role. These initiatives were designed not only to mitigate reputational risks but also to reinforce the university’s capacity to engage successfully in public discourse. Additionally, the university launched other impactful public initiatives, which further strengthened its legitimacy and influence on broader societal issues. The findings of this study provide a detailed account of these strategies and their outcomes, offering insights for other institutions facing similar challenges. This study contributes to the literature on crisis management in higher education and highlights the critical importance of aligning institutional identity with public engagement, particularly in a polarized societal context.
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spelling doaj-art-7a8442dc61dd41c2b6d598da933eae932025-08-20T02:49:52ZengTaylor & Francis GroupChurch, Communication and Culture2375-32342375-32422024-07-019224425910.1080/23753234.2024.2405053Third Mission and identity in a Catholic university: The Universidad de La Sabana caseJuan F. Córdoba-Marentes0School of Law and Political Science, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, ColombiaThis case study examines the comprehensive strategies employed by Universidad de La Sabana to align its Third Mission with its Catholic identity after a media and public opinion crisis in 2015. The crisis, triggered by controversial remarks from a university professor during a national debate on same-sex adoption, underscored the necessity for the university to assert its institutional values while navigating the complexities of public scrutiny. In response, the university undertook organizational realignments, including the establishment of new strategic committees, the development of communication training programs, and the enhancement of its Legal Clinic’s role. These initiatives were designed not only to mitigate reputational risks but also to reinforce the university’s capacity to engage successfully in public discourse. Additionally, the university launched other impactful public initiatives, which further strengthened its legitimacy and influence on broader societal issues. The findings of this study provide a detailed account of these strategies and their outcomes, offering insights for other institutions facing similar challenges. This study contributes to the literature on crisis management in higher education and highlights the critical importance of aligning institutional identity with public engagement, particularly in a polarized societal context.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23753234.2024.2405053Third MissionCatholic identityhigher educationinstitutional alignmentlegal clinicscommunity engagement
spellingShingle Juan F. Córdoba-Marentes
Third Mission and identity in a Catholic university: The Universidad de La Sabana case
Church, Communication and Culture
Third Mission
Catholic identity
higher education
institutional alignment
legal clinics
community engagement
title Third Mission and identity in a Catholic university: The Universidad de La Sabana case
title_full Third Mission and identity in a Catholic university: The Universidad de La Sabana case
title_fullStr Third Mission and identity in a Catholic university: The Universidad de La Sabana case
title_full_unstemmed Third Mission and identity in a Catholic university: The Universidad de La Sabana case
title_short Third Mission and identity in a Catholic university: The Universidad de La Sabana case
title_sort third mission and identity in a catholic university the universidad de la sabana case
topic Third Mission
Catholic identity
higher education
institutional alignment
legal clinics
community engagement
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23753234.2024.2405053
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