University social responsibility and sustainable development: illustration of adapted practices by two Tunisian Universities

Purpose This study aims to show how universities may engage in social responsibility approaches and to understand in depth how the university social responsibility (USR) practices contribute in achieving sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach Exploratory qualitative research was directed based on two Tunisian Universities (two case studies); the first one belongs to the public sector and the second one to the private sector. Data were collected through participant observations, group interviews, documentation as well as semistructured interviews with students and administrative staff. The survey was carried out in 2022, immediately following the COVID-19 health crisis. The interview lasted 45-min on average. Findings The results confirmed that USR was applicable within the two studied institutions. The two cases under investigation primarily concerned academic and philanthropic responsibilities, with practices pertaining to ethical and legal responsibilities being observed, albeit not to the same extent as the other two responsibilities. Therefore, universities prioritize the welfare of people over anything else when they implement a USR policy. Originality/value The USR is an approach that many higher education institutions, both public and private, must appropriate. Nevertheless, this field is still virgin in academic research and this theme remains unexplored within the Tunisian territory. Thus, through the present study, the authors were able to understand in depth the USR practices and confirmed that these two institutes were socially responsible. Consequently, the authors are inviting other Tunisian Universities to adhere to these approaches regarding their benefits among society, environment and economy.