Summary

The relationship between universities and society has a long history in Chile, through the function of extensión and more recently, through vinculación con el medio (public engagement). Despite having a long tradition at the practical level, this function has rarely been developed as an area of academic research. In addition, when looking for publications on this topic in the English literature, the obstacle is the absence of linguistically equivalent concepts, which hinders the dialogue between both contexts. Through a literature review and a discussion of the translation process, this article argues, firstly, that it is not possible to establish a conclusive distinction between the concepts of extensión and vinculación con el medio. Secondly, that the English language concept of community or public engagement is functionally equivalent to those of extensión and vinculación con el medio. It thus aims to contribute to the debate and reflection on the meaning and importance of this university function in Chile and Latin America, as well as including these experiences in the international debate about the “engaged university”, bridging a dialogue between the Latin American and English language context