Introduction:

Communicative practices of university extension carried out by the professors contribute decisively to a coherent integration of the essential functions in higher education. These practices comply with the social mission of higher education and should deserve special attention, as well as the mediations that are present in this process.

Objectives:

To characterize the communicative practices of university extension and to determine the mediations of the communicative practices of the professors of university extension in the University of Medical Sciences of Havana.

Material and Methods:

A qualitative descriptive research was conducted with a single, inclusive case study that included professors of Medicine, Nursing, and Dentistry of the University of Medical Sciences of Havana between 2018 and 2019. Individual interviews and discussion groups were carried out with professors and students.

Results:

A predominance of a biologic paradigm of transmissive communication with low levels of participation and a distorted conception of university extension was evidenced. It was also determined that sociocultural, professional, and social factors influence upon these aspects.

Conclusions:

The systematic confrontation with cultural resistance and consequent application of the conception linked with a higher level of participation will allow to move progressively toward the implementation of more efficient communicative extension practices by the professors.

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