In contemporary higher education, universities are increasingly expected to assume responsibility not only for teaching and research, but also for the social and epistemic consequences of the knowledge they produce. Yet the cognitive dimension of university social responsibility—concerned with the production, framing, prioritization, and social orientation of knowledge—has received limited independent attention. This article examines the state of cognitive responsibility at the University of Isfahan and asks which components constitute this dimension and how they are manifested in practice. Drawing on Vallaeys’ framework of university social responsibility, the study employs a qualitative–quantitative case-study design based on semi-structured interviews and a two-round Delphi process. The findings show that cognitive responsibility at the University of Isfahan remains fragmented and insufficiently institutionalized. The main challenge is not a lack of scientific capacity, but the weak conversion of existing capacities into problem-oriented knowledge, critical inquiry, interdisciplinary dialogue, and sustained engagement with local issues. The results also suggest a three-level pattern linking institutional arrangements, mediating academic practices, and social outcomes. Strengthening cognitive responsibility therefore requires institutional redesign, curricular review, and more systematic university–society interaction.
Keshavarz, H. R., Hatami, A., Davazdah Emami, S. G. & Harsij, H. (2026). Identifying and analyzing the components of social responsibility of the University of Isfahan, with emphasis on the cognitive dimension. Journal of Political Knowledge, 22(1), 65–94. https://doi.org/10.30497/pkn.2026.248890.3302
MLA
Keshavarz, H. R., Hatami, A., Davazdah Emami, S. G., & Harsij, H. "Identifying and analyzing the components of social responsibility of the University of Isfahan, with emphasis on the cognitive dimension", Journal of Political Knowledge, 22, 1, 2026, 65–94. doi: 10.30497/pkn.2026.248890.3302
HARVARD
Keshavarz, H. R., Hatami, A., Davazdah Emami, S. G., & Harsij, H. (2026). 'Identifying and analyzing the components of social responsibility of the University of Isfahan, with emphasis on the cognitive dimension', Journal of Political Knowledge, 22(1), pp. 65–94. doi: 10.30497/pkn.2026.248890.3302
CHICAGO
Keshavarz, H. R., Hatami, A., Davazdah Emami, S. G. & Harsij, H., "Identifying and analyzing the components of social responsibility of the University of Isfahan, with emphasis on the cognitive dimension." Journal of Political Knowledge, 22 1 (2026): 65–94, doi: 10.30497/pkn.2026.248890.3302
VANCOUVER
Keshavarz H. R., Hatami A., Davazdah Emami S. G., Harsij H. Identifying and analyzing the components of social responsibility of the University of Isfahan, with emphasis on the cognitive dimension. Political Knowledge. 2026;22(1):65–94 (In Persian). doi: 10.30497/pkn.2026.248890.3302
Journal of Political Knowledge