Universidade Católica's Service-Learning Projects presented at the Uniservitate international symposium
The institutionalisation of Service Learning at Universidade Católica Portuguesa was one of the topics discussed at the VI Global Symposium Uniservitate, held at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Germany, under the motto ‘Service Learning in a Fragile World: Universities that nurture Peace and Hope’. The event featured a speech by the President, Isabel Capeloa Gil.
‘At Católica, we see Service-Learning not only as a pedagogical innovation, but as a way to fulfil our mission: to educate citizens with a purpose, to link academic knowledge to real social needs and to reinforce our commitment to the common good,’ the President began by emphasising.
After giving a brief presentation of the CApS project, launched in 2020 with the aim of institutionalising and consolidating Service Learning at the university, Isabel Capeloa Gil summarised the evolution of this methodology, highlighting its main milestones. In this context, she mentioned joining the Uniservitate network in 2021, the inclusion of Service-Learning in the 2021-2025 Strategic Development Plan and in the Quality Plan, and the recognition and distinctions awarded to different projects in this area, including first prize in the Uniservitate Awards, won by the “Ser Cuida(i)doso” initiative. “These milestones show not only continuity, but also the deepening, recognition and institutional maturity of Service-Learning at UCP,” she emphasised.
Isabel Capeloa Gil then pointed out the four dimensions of the institutionalisation of Service-Learning: the structure, with a dedicated national team comprising representatives from the four campuses of Católica; the policies, embodied in guiding documents to ensure quality and consistency; the practices and their impact on the community; and the culture, which translates into “identity”.
Over the last eight semesters at Católica, the President explained, 124 Service-Learning experiences have been implemented in 147 curricular units and 24 extracurricular units, involving 2,495 students, 62 teachers and 176 partners, including 28 international organisations, reaching 46,000 beneficiaries. In the 22 academic units of the four campuses, 54% have already introduced Service-Learning projects and 22% of academic programmes already include at least one course using this methodology.
“At UCP, Service Learning has become a living expression of who we are — a Catholic university committed to social transformation,” emphasises the President. “It helps students connect what they learn with who they want to be. It promotes empathy, civic engagement, and a sense of purpose. In this way, Service-Learning strengthens our institutional culture—a culture that values service, justice, and solidarity as central elements of learning,” she explained.
As for lessons learned, she listed, among others, the ‘leadership role in the field of Service-Learning in higher education, nationally and internationally,’ assumed by Católica, contributing to a reputation as an academically innovative institution, and the ‘network approach,’ through Uniservitate, Porticus, and the Transform4Europe alliance.
On the other hand, Isabel Capeloa Gil also warned of the challenges that remain, such as continuing to improve the quality and consistency of these experiences, providing systematic support to teaching staff, and ensuring long-term sustainability.
‘Today, Service Learning is a tangible way for us to embody what it means to be a Catholic university in the 21st century: committed to excellence in teaching, connected to the real needs of society, and dedicated to educating students who see knowledge as a tool for service and transformation,’ emphasised the President.
Isabel Capeloa Gil concluded by stating that ‘by institutionalising Service Learning, we are not only changing our programmes — we are shaping a culture of purpose, compassion and social engagement that will define the future of our university and higher education in general’.
Held annually, this Uniservitate symposium is aimed at all universities that are part of this global network, of which Católica has been a member since its inception. Uniservitate's goal is to promote Service-Learning in Catholic Higher Education to generate systemic change through comprehensive learning and active engagement with today's challenges.