Доброволчески профили и мотивационни нагласи. Статистически поглед върху доброволчеството в УНСС
Volunteering Profiles and Motivational Attitudes. A Statistical Perspective on Volunteering at the University of National and World Economy

Author(s): Ekaterina Tosheva
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Economy, Education, Business Economy / Management, Sociology, Higher Education , Social development, Socio-Economic Research, Sociology of Education
Published by: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)
Keywords: academic volunteering; university third mission; social economy; social responsibility of universities; community engagement; empirical research; profiles of volunteers; higher education; Central and Eastern Europe
Summary/Abstract: This book explores academic volunteering as an integral element of the social economy and as a strategic instrument for implementing universities’ third mission in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and European policies on social inclusion, equality, and social justice. In a setting marked by persistent social inequalities and increasing societal challenges, universities are increasingly recognized not only as centers of education and research but also as active contributors to sustainable social development. Academic volunteering is examined as a form of institutional social responsibility that fosters social capital, strengthens community ties, and enhances the societal impact of higher education institutions. The main objective of the study is to analyze the scope, characteristics, and determinants of volunteering within the academic community of the University of National and World Economy (UNWE), Bulgaria. The research focuses on students, academic staff, and administrative personnel, examining their volunteering experience, motivations, and attitudes toward the institutionalization of volunteering at the university level. Based on an extensive review of theoretical frameworks and international empirical studies, the book develops an original empirical model and research instrument, which was tested and applied through a large-scale survey conducted in 2024. The findings reveal that a substantial share of the academic community has previous volunteering experience, although participation is often irregular and episodic. Attitudes toward volunteering are predominantly positive, indicating a strong potential for developing structured and institutionally supported volunteering initiatives within the university. The analysis identifies distinct volunteering profiles—“non-involved,” “potential volunteers,” “volunteers,” and “active volunteers”—and highlights the significant influence of family and social environment, as well as individual personality traits. Empathy emerges as the leading motivational driver across all groups, while student participation reflects a combination of altruistic and pragmatic motives related to personal development, skills acquisition, social networking, and career prospects. This book contributes to the limited body of empirical research on academic volunteering in Central and Eastern Europe and provides one of the first comprehensive studies of this phenomenon in Bulgaria. It offers a transferable methodological framework for monitoring and evaluating volunteering in higher education institutions and outlines practical implications for university governance and public policy. The results support evidence-based strategies for institutionalizing volunteering, strengthening university–community engagement, and advancing the social responsibility and third mission of universities in the 21st century.

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