The state congress of university service learning will assess the social impact of its projects
The state congress of university service learning will assess the social impact of its projects
From January 25 to 27, the XI State Congress and V International University Learning Service will be held at the UAB - Casa Convalescència, organized by the 12 Catalan universities, including the UAB, through the ApSUCAT Network. The social impact of the projects on the agents involved (students, organizations and teachers) will be assessed.
When it has taken root in higher education for more than a decade, the ApS (Apprenticeship Service) is taking the lead in an international congress that seeks to x-ray these practices that act as a link between the university and society.
Service-Learning is an educational proposal through which students are trained by participating in a project aimed at solving a real need of a community and thus improving people's living conditions or the quality of the environment .
On the 25th, 26th and 27th of January, the 11th State Congress and 5th International University Learning Service organized this year by the 12 Catalan universities through the ApSUCAT Network will take place and will be held in the modernist premises of the Casa Convalescència (UAB ). This year's edition, which already has nearly 300 people registered, will be focused on assessing the university impact that Service Learning (ApS) projects have on the different agents involved. At the congress, you will want to answer questions such as "Does the ApS transform the community? Does the ApS shape the social outlook of young people by facilitating their contact with other realities? Is it a catalyst for teaching innovation?".
The chancellors of the organizing universities will be in charge of kicking off the Congress. The inaugural conference will be given by Janice McMillan, professor expert in the community impact of ApS projects at the University of Cape Town (Republic of South Africa). Despite being a scientific congress, the nature of the ApS will mean that students and organizations play a leading role. On Thursday there will be joint working dynamics between teachers, entities, students and technical staff of the university ApS to reflect on the different roles in the ApS projects and look for innovative strategies to improve their impacts. ApS itineraries are also planned, the headquarters of social organizations that participate in university ApS projects will be visited. The final conference will be given by Josep Maria Puig and Brenda Bär from the UB and will be attended by the Minister of Universities, Joan Subirats.
The Congress will award the Laura Rubio prize which will recognize service learning initiatives that promote reflection on the ethical dimension of social intervention. Laura Rubio, who lost her life in 2021, was a doctor in Pedagogy and a professor at the UB and was a pioneer in the implementation of service learning in Spain.
Congress website: https://www.apsu11.cat/?lang=ca