ABSTRACT
Higher education institutions occupy a privileged place in society and play a significant role in the creation and diffusion of knowledge, through research and training. They are also considered strong drivers for innovation, economic development, and social well-being. These roles are expressed through their different missions: training, research, extension programs, and social commitment. This contribution aims to explore how higher education institutions can, on the one hand, become exemplary in their institutional practices, that is, how the way they handle daily operations can make a difference and project themselves as examples of good practices for other social institutions and organisations. On the other hand, given the growing importance of higher education's third mission, the different avenues that can be followed to impact the local community directly are also examined.
