Title: University professional and citizenship education through service learning

Authors: Mariona Graell Martín

Addresses: Department of Education Science, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, C/ Josep Trueta, s/n. 08195 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain

Abstract: The continued advance of our societies will depend on how universities educate their students from this point on. Universities have the responsibility to train competent professionals and citizens. Some innovative, active and participatory methodologies, such as service learning, can afford opportunities in this context. The type of training prevailing up to now, centred on experts with no ties to real-life practice, has lost its validity, and needs to be complemented by a more holistic and respectful view of the world. This article analyses an experience of service learning in which students were invited to educate themselves as citizen professionals through the practical application, in specific social organisations, of their learning on a theoretical module titled language learning and reading-writing. The results showed the learning of multiple lessons and competences going beyond those learned in the traditional way on the module; for example, the opportunity to educate oneself in competences in an integrated way.

Keywords: service learning; educational innovation; social responsibility; sustainability competence; higher education; citizen professionals; participation; learning by doing; professional identity; competence.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIPM.2022.120994

International Journal of Intellectual Property Management, 2022 Vol.12 No.1, pp.148 - 163

Received: 19 Apr 2020
Accepted: 22 Dec 2020
Published online: 21 Feb 2022 *

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