Session Information
07 SES 16 C, Service-Learning for Social Justice and Reciprocity – Theoretical Considerations and Empirical Results from Austria, Germany, and Spain
Symposium
Contribution
SL and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) run interconnected. If we go deeper into the analysis of this relationship, three of them seem inherent to this methodology, since all the projects are affected by them, with more or less intensity, presumably, due to the very nature of the SL: quality education, since the SL is guided by the principles of inclusive, equitable and quality education; Alliances to achieve the goals, not in vain one of the basic requirements of the methodology is networking; and Reduction of inequalities, considering that one of its aims is social justice and seeking the common good. In addition, all SL projects specifically involve one or more SDGs. Our objective in this paper is to demonstrate, based on some evidence of the research project “The impact of the university in the community through Service-Learning projects. A study focused on reciprocity (SL(C))” (PID2021-122827OB-I00), the link between SL and these three SDGs in the framework of higher education. Universities know, or should know, that they cannot remain on the sidelines of rapid and profound changes and that, therefore, they must face global challenges without delay. In this scenario, its leadership through innovation, open and connected to the great social challenges, will be crucial. They must dialogue with society, to try to offer effective responses to the main problems of humanity, and the social and environmental crisis that we are experiencing. Moreover, it is urgent to define a framework for sustained reflection on their civic mission, so that they can be at the forefront of programs and projects capable of changing and improving their surrounding environment and contributing to a more inclusive society. For some time now, committed sectors of civil society have been calling for a more involved university in and with the community. What is required is to train a more critical and responsible citizenry, in addition to working to lessen, at least, existing injustices and inequalities, while continuing to strive in favor of the common good. In short, the university cannot reduce its great task to the training of technically competent professionals. They have to perform as prepared people in their respective fields of activity, but without the capacity for critical analysis, nor the skills to make appropriate decisions to their environment, and without the degree of sensitivity and social awareness that current circumstances demand, they may not become more than managers of a failed society.
References
United Nations (2015). Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. https://wedocs.unep.org/20.500.11822/9814.
Search the ECER Programme
- Search for keywords and phrases in "Text Search"
- Restrict in which part of the abstracts to search in "Where to search"
- Search for authors and in the respective field.
- For planning your conference attendance you may want to use the conference app, which will be issued some weeks before the conference
- If you are a session chair, best look up your chairing duties in the conference system (Conftool) or the app.