Exploring faculty experiences in voluntary social activities: A qualitative study within the context of social accountability

Abstract

Background & Objective: Faculty members, given their unique position within the university, can significantly contribute to enhancing social responsibility. This study aims to elucidate the experiences of faculty members engaged in voluntary social activities Material & Methods: This qualitative research employed a conventional content analysis approach. The study involved 15 faculty members from Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, selected using purposive sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using MAXQDA software. Results: The data analysis revealed four main categories, including "existential philosophy of social activity", "the actual capabilities of social activity", "the bottlenecks of the path of social activity", and "operational strategies", along with 12 subcategories. These subcategories encompassed various aspects such as "Ensuring the health of society", "responding to spiritual needs", "cultivating responsible students", "the university’s supportive and coordinating role in social activity", "the role of professors", "absence of a unified trustee", "unprofessional behavior of some managers of organizations", "resource and operational limitations", "promotion and promotion of socially active professors", "development in the search for answers and people's participation", "sustained follow-up in social activities" and "society's needs are the cornerstone of actions" were obtained. Conclusion: The findings underscore the need for an effective system to enhance voluntary social activities among faculty members. By closely collaborating with other organizations, addressing health needs, and cultivating responsible students, viable solutions can be devised and implemented to address societal health issues. Furthermore, fostering public engagement and inquiry related to health is imperative for the success of these initiatives. © 2024 Zanjan University of Medical Sciences.