Traditionally, the empirical evidence to assess programs and practices that lead to relevant and sustainable levels of partnership between higher education institutions and the community is limited although relationships are a central and defining dimension of SL experiences. Literature, instead, is abundant on evaluating other components of Service Learning (SL) (e.g., curriculum, achievement, competencies), and weakened programs of reciprocity and community engagement. Researchers know that “What is measured is important and recognized”. Improving understanding of what it means to engage and foster such partnerships can be a critical element in strengthening SL practices and institutionalizing it in higher education institutions and in the community at large. This understanding can enable administrators and faculty to evaluate several partnership-building processes, as well as facilitate the advancement and testing of theory related to the establishment, development, and sustainability of collaborative networks. Using the Butin´s framework (2005), this paper focuses on the evaluation of the impact of SL projects on the quality of the partnership perceived by the stakeholders. More specifically, the paper presents a case study based on a program implemented between the University Pablo de Olavide (UPO) and a primary school located in “Polígono Sur” (Seville, Spain) with a high percentage of gypsy population. The data collection process was mixed and consisted of face-to-face interviews guided by a questionnaire and a scale completed individually by the respondents. The study confirms that when partnership teams take time to evaluate their efforts, they demonstrate a seriousness of purpose that leads to more equitable outreach and more goal-linked engagement activities that contribute to programs which are at least mutually beneficial and transformative. Based on this work, a conceptual framework, an analytical tool, and an assessment instrument are discussed to better understand how stakeholders and university authorities could capitalize on the transformative potential of SL and the engagement between universities and collaborating entities.

Butin, D. W. (ed.) (2005). Service-learning in higher education: Critical issues and directions. Palgrave Macmillan.