PROJEKTI
   

Project
Acronym: Europe Engage 
Name: Europe Engage - Developing a Culture of Civic Engagement Through Service-Learning Within Higher Education in Europe 
Project status: From: 2014-09-01 To: 2017-08-31 (Completed)
Contract number:  
Action line:  
Type (Programme): MULTILAT 
Instrument:  
Project cost: 340.000,00 EUR
Project funding: 340.000,00 EUR
Project coordinator
Organisation Name: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid 
Organisation adress: Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 3 28049 Madrid  
Organisation country: Spain 
Contact person name: Pilar Aramburuzabala 
Contact person email:  
Croatian partner
Organisation name: Filozofski fakultet 
Organisation address: Ivana Lucica 3, Zagreb 
Contact person name: Nives Mikelić Preradović
Contact person tel:
  Contact person fax:  
Contact person e-mail: Email 
Partners
Organisation nameCountry
University of Galway  Ireland 
University of Brighton  United Kingdom 
Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada  Portugal 
Vytautas Magnus University Lithuania 
University of Bologna Italy 
University of Duisburg-Essen  Germany 
Erasmus University  Netherlands 
Ghent University Belgium 
International Management Center Krems-University of Applied Science  Austria 
University of Helsinki Finland 
Short description of project
Through the ‘Modernisation of European Higher Education’ strategic priority, the Bologna Process and Declaration (1999) states that, “A Europe of knowledge is now widely recognised as an irreplaceable factor for social and human growth and as an indispensable component to consolidate and enrich the European citizenship, capable of giving its citizens the necessary competences to face the challenges of the new millennium, together with an awareness of shared values and belonging to a common social and cultural space. The importance of education and educational co-operation in the development and strengthening of stable, peaceful and democratic societies is universally acknowledged as paramount, the more so in view of the situation in South East Europe”. Central to this ambition goal will be the adoption of approaches within higher education that allow for the development of this aspiration. Once such approach is through service learning. Service Learning is a pedagogical approach that connects academic learning to community service through partnership, reciprocity, reflection and social contact. The values of trust, mutuality, co-creation, inter-dependence and mutuality are central to community-university service learning partnership. Students learn with the community and work on community related and/or directed projects that can enhance academic learning, the community and the process towards the co-creation of knowledge. Students in turn attain academic credit based on the work they undertaken within the community and the knowledge they harness form the experience. Research indicates that Service-Learning strengthen significant learning, facilitates the development of professional competences, improves the students´ motivation, critical thinking and social commitment, as well as social relations in the classroom (XXX, 20). It is a tool for sustainability curriculum, as it increases the effectiveness of the education for a sustainable development while focusing on diversity, multiculturalism, functional diversity, inclusion, human rights and the more vulnerable groups.  Studies that have the explored the connection between S-L and social justice show that S-L raises awareness of social justice (Baldwin, Buchanan and Rudisill, 2007), teaches students to question the society from a critical point of view and emphasizes social change rather than charity (Rosenberger, 2000).  Service-Learning partnerships are founded upon a commitment to sharing and ownership of societal pressing issues; and towards a renewal of individual and collective social responsibility and transformation. These partnerships aspire towards a new and better world through education, learning, reaching out, knowledge sharing and reciprocity (GUNI, 2013).   Even though in many parts of the world, over the last decade, there has been growth and development in the areas of civic engagement and service learning within higher education, in Europe much remains to be done. In Europe there are isolated experiences in some countries and an Irish association (Campus Engage) devoted to promoting S-L in Higher Education, but there is a need to identify such experiences and create networks based on common grounds.    
Short description of the task performed by Croatian partner
Aim To promote Service-Learning as a pedagogical approach that promotes and develops civic engagement within higher education, students, staff and the wider community.   Objectives To share, generate and foster knowledge and experience among the academic community so as to develop a culture of engaged learning through service learning within higher education. To facilitate European co-operation for identifying needs and opportunities to develop a culture of civic engagement and service learning within Higher Education in Europe. To uncover existing SL practice within higher education in Europe and drive further growth across the sector.  


   

Design by: M. Mačinković

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