Over the past three decades, the function of community engagement—known in Chile as Vinculación con el Medio (VcM)—has gained increasing relevance within the strategic agenda of higher education institutions. In the Chilean context, this transformation has been driven by the national quality assurance system and, more recently, by Law 21.091, which established VcM as a mandatory and assessable function. This research aims to analyze how Chilean universities are currently measuring VcM, with special emphasis on the systems of evaluation, indicators used, and the conceptualization of impact and bidirectionality. The study follows a multiple case design, examining twelve universities of varying sizes, accreditation levels, and institutional types. Using thematic analysis of official documents, manuals, and indicator reports, the study finds a strong tendency toward managerial and technical approaches in evaluation, a high number of indicators (often exceeding 650 in total), and limited incorporation of qualitative methodologies. Additionally, the persistent ambiguity between the notions of "impact" and "contribution" poses significant challenges. The findings suggest the need to move toward more integrated, participatory, and context-sensitive evaluation systems to strengthen the transformative potential of VcM.

Abstract

Over the past three decades, the function of community engagement—known in Chile as Vinculación con el Medio (VcM)—has gained increasing relevance within the strategic agenda of higher education institutions. In the Chilean context, this transformation has been driven by the national quality assurance system and, more recently, by Law 21.091, which established VcM as a mandatory and assessable function. This research aims to analyze how Chilean universities are currently measuring VcM, with special emphasis on the systems of evaluation, indicators used, and the conceptualization of impact and bidirectionality. The study follows a multiple case design, examining twelve universities of varying sizes, accreditation levels, and institutional types. Using thematic analysis of official documents, manuals, and indicator reports, the study finds a strong tendency toward managerial and technical approaches in evaluation, a high number of indicators (often exceeding 650 in total), and limited incorporation of qualitative methodologies. Additionally, the persistent ambiguity between the notions of "impact" and "contribution" poses significant challenges. The findings suggest the need to move toward more integrated, participatory, and context-sensitive evaluation systems to strengthen the transformative potential of VcM.