Social Responsibility and Institutional Image in a Public University in Peru

Abstract

Grounded in stakeholder and institutional theories, this study examines the relationship between university social responsibility (USR) and students’ perceptions of institutional image at a public university in Peru. Using a quantitative, correlational design, data were collected from 134 undergraduate students in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities during the 2024–II academic cycle. A structured Likert-scale questionnaire measured perceived USR practices and institutional image, and data were analyzed using Spearman’s correlation. The results revealed a strong and statistically significant positive association between USR and institutional image (rₛ = .762, p < .01), indicating that socially responsible practices are closely linked to how students evaluate institutional reputation. These findings extend existing literature by providing empirical evidence from a resource-constrained public university setting in Latin America, where research remains limited. The study highlights the strategic role of USR in strengthening institutional positioning and suggests that embedding socially responsive practices into core university functions can enhance both reputational capital and social impact.