Community Engagement: Connecting the University with Its Surroundings | Claudia Burgos Skills Talks

Why does community engagement remain one of the greatest challenges in higher education? How can a genuine relationship be built between an institution and its community, beyond mere regulatory compliance? In this episode of EASEC Skills Talks, Claudia Burgos Aguayo—a specialist in community engagement, quality assurance, and institutional development in Chile—shares her experience leading accreditation processes with the CNA, forging partnerships with public, private, and community stakeholders, and bridging regional gaps through an approach that combines art, social innovation, and strategic management. Claudia holds a master’s degree in Social Innovation and Solidarity Economy from the University of Salamanca and a master’s degree in Contemporary Artistic Research and Creation from Universidad Mayor. She is a member of the Community Engagement Unit at AEQUALIS and coordinator of the Quality Assurance Commission of the Community Engagement Network (RedVcM). 🔔 Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes of Skills Talks every two weeks. ⏱️ HIGHLIGHTS: 00:00 — Opening: Welcome to EASEC Skills Talks 00:30 — Introduction by Claudia Burgos 02:00 — Why is engagement with the community so important? 04:00 — VcM accreditation by the CNA: what it means and what it reveals 06:30 — Which fields still don’t understand the relevance of VcM? 09:00 — Regional disparities: the example of the SIP system 12:00 — How to build genuine relationships with the community 15:00 — What should change in the CNA’s evaluation criteria? 18:00 — EASEC Awards 2027 Valencia 19:00 — From art to university management: a creative perspective 22:00 — What can higher education learn from the solidarity economy? 24:00 — Community engagement and students’ real employability 27:00 — Power skills: technology and human competencies 30:00 — The human skills institutions must prioritize 33:00 — What defines an institution that is truly connected to its community? 📌 EASEC — European Accreditation of Soft Skills & Employability Competencies “Prove the person behind the talent.” We work with universities, educational institutions, and organizations to certify transferable skills using international frameworks: ESCO, EQF, Europass. → Website: https://www.easec.eu → Skills Talks: https://easec.eu/skills-talks/ → EASEC Awards 2027: https://easec.eu/awards/ → Follow us on LinkedIn:   / easec-eu   📩 Would you like to be a guest on Skills Talks? Write to us: [email protected] #SkillsTalks #CommunityEngagement #HigherEducation #Employability #SoftSkills #FutureOfWork #EASEC #Accreditation #HumanCompetencies #CNA #Chile #SocialInnovation