The relationship between the University and its setting has been widely approached from different perspectives since the 19th century, enabling a conceptual evolution to understand this link based on the ruling vision of the role of the University in a specific context and time. In Latin America, two major visions currently coexist: Extension and engagement with the environment, whose conceptions have common roots. However, in the absence of a clear consensus on its constitutive characteristics, it is difficult to analyze and compare the results, both nationally and internationally. This article presents an analysis of the results of a comparative study on engagement policies and strategies in a sample of regional public universities in Colombia and Chile, defining the main area of connection in these. The work followed a qualitative methodology under a descriptive approach. The results allow stating that the field of engagement is under construction, that the concepts of engagement and extension coexist, and that culture is the most important dimension, with a trend towards economic or transfer issues above the social aspects.