Service Learning Program for Lectures
2nd Edition

This Short Advanced Programme (SAP) is designed to empower higher education lecturers to understand, design, implement, and institutionalise Service-Learning experiences within university education. Service-Learning is an innovative pedagogical methodology that combines academic learning with meaningful service to the community, allowing students to apply their knowledge and skills to real social needs while developing civic responsibility, critical thinking, and professional competences.

Through a practical, collaborative, and interdisciplinary approach, participants will explore the key principles, methodologies, and organisational aspects required to successfully develop Service-Learning initiatives in higher education. The programme will provide lecturers with the tools to identify social needs within their communities, establish partnerships with NGOs and local organisations, co-design impactful educational experiences, and integrate Service-Learning into different academic disciplines and institutional contexts.

The SAP combines online learning, collaborative workshops, group discussions, and face-to-face activities to promote active participation and peer learning among lecturers and representatives of social entities. Participants will work together to analyse real community challenges, design Service-Learning proposals, and reflect on the pedagogical, ethical, and organisational dimensions involved in their implementation.

Special attention will be given to community engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, social innovation, sustainability, and the contribution of Service-Learning to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The programme also aims to strengthen cooperation between universities and local communities, promoting socially responsible education and fostering long-term institutional commitment to Service-Learning practices.

By participating in this SAP, lecturers will gain practical experience and confidence in creating transformative educational experiences that generate positive social impact while enriching students’ academic and professional development.

The “Service-Learning Projects for Lecturers” SAP is an international training programme designed for university lecturers interested in integrating Service-Learning methodology into higher education. The programme provides participants with the knowledge, practical tools, and collaborative experience needed to design, implement, and institutionalise Service-Learning initiatives that connect academic learning with real community needs.

Participants will carry out a series of tasks aimed at facilitating the development of Service-Learning practices within each institution, including:

• Defining the pedagogical aspects required for implementing Service-Learning in the institutions and strengthening collaboration with other RUN-EU partners.
• Detailing the services to be delivered through Service-Learning projects.
• Organizing and managing Service-Learning initiatives.
• Establishing the foundations for institutional work in the following months (including mapping NGOs and community partners, designing pilot experiences, and preparing implementation roadmaps).

Through a combination of online learning, collaborative workshops, and face-to-face activities, participants will explore innovative pedagogical approaches, community engagement strategies, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Lecturers and representatives of social entities will work together to identify social needs, establish partnerships, and co-design meaningful educational experiences with social impact.

The SAP places special emphasis on active learning, social responsibility, inclusion, sustainability, and the contribution of Service-Learning to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Participants will analyse real examples, reflect on implementation challenges, and develop practical proposals adaptable to different academic disciplines and institutional contexts.

By the end of the programme, participants will have acquired practical competences to create impactful Service-Learning experiences that strengthen the relationship between universities and local communities while promoting civic engagement and experiential learning among students.

Join an international community of educators committed to transforming higher education through socially engaged and community-connected learning experiences.