Participation in Extracurricular Activities among University Students: A Narrative Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47606/ACVEN/PH0513Keywords:
extracurricular participation, extracurricular activities, university students, employability, sense of belonging, higher educationAbstract
The objective of this narrative systematic review was to analyze the scientific production on participation in extracurricular activities among university students, identifying their contributions to holistic education, academic success, employability, self-efficacy, sense of belonging, inclusion, and professional development. The methodology was developed thru the review of studies published between 2007 and 2025, related to extracurricular activities in the context of higher education. Scientific articles, systematic reviews, empirical studies, and qualitative research with verifiable authorship, explicit methodology, and thematic relevance were included. The information was organized using a document analysis matrix that allowed for the systematization of author, year, focus, methodology, findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The results showed that extracurricular participation broadens learning outside the formal curriculum, strengthens transferable skills, improves employability, fosters university integration, and contributes to personal, social, and professional development. Likewise, their relationship with motivation, self-efficacy, leadership, social networks, and sense of belonging was identified. It is concluded that extracurricular activities constitute a strategic component of higher education and should be integrated into inclusive, flexible, and student-centered educational policies.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Eva Delfina Zarzosa Márquez , Cesar Hernan Norabuena-Mendoza , Carlos Humberto Chunga-Antón , Lorenzo Rafael Valderrama Plasencia

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