When impact becomes a number: the quantification of university extension in Chile

The quantification of higher education is increasingly reshaping how universities conceptualise and structure their extension activities. This paper examines the transformation of university extension in Chilean universities through the lens of quantification, understood as the process by which complex social interactions are translated into standardised metrics and indicators. Drawing on Espeland and Stevens’ theory of quantification, the study analyses how universities reconfigure extension practices to align with external accountability demands, converting relational, context-dependent engagements into measurable outputs. Based on extensive interviews with university administrators, the research uncovers a paradox at the heart of this transformation: while quantification enhances institutional legitimacy and facilitates resource allocation, it simultaneously distorts the meaning of extension by shifting its focus from substantive community engagement to the production of data that satisfies evaluative frameworks.