ServiceLearning: Dialogue between Universities and Communities

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Service-Learning Dialogue between Universities
and Communities

• Civicus
• Researchers Meeting
• Budapest, 3-5 March 2005

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We recognize, therefore, that social and civic
commitment is central to the needs of our
respective communities and responsibilities of
our universities. We must take responsible social
and civic roles not only as a matter of urgency,
but also as a matter of sustained and unshakable
commitment through years ahead. Salzburg
Declaration on Social and Civic Responsibilities
of the University, Salzburg, 2001

• Twenty-first century academic life is no longer
  pursued in seclusion (if it ever was) but rather
  must champion reason and imagination in
  engagement with the wider society it concerns.
•  
• Association of Commonwealth Universities, April
  2001
• www.acu.ac.uk
•  
•  
• The best higher education institution is a model
  and source of pressure for creating a modern
  civil society. This is an ideal not often
  realized, but it is nevertheless a standard
  against which to measure national systems.
• World Banks Task Force Report on Higher
  Education in Developing Countries
•  

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Campus Compact presidents strongly advocate the
participation of students, faculty, staff and
higher education institutions in public and
community service. () to improve the social and
economic well-being of Americas
communities.   Campus Compact presidents
strive to influence the quality of civic
discourse and to ensure that key issues of civic
concern are fairly discussed in impartial
forums.   Campus Compact presidents support
initiatives that promote productive
collaborations between colleges and universities.
Such initiatives seek to create opportunities for
renewed civic and community life, improved
educational and economic opportunity, expanded
democratic participation by citizens and the
application of the intellectual and material
resources of higher education to help address the
challenges that confront communities. Campus
Compact Presidents Statement of Principles
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• State of Hungarian Higher Education
•    Central budget financing wide and
  uncontrolled autonomy in spending
• interests of the professorial echelon prevails
  against the interests of the students and the
  community
• Reform of Higher Education designed by the
  representatives of the professorial echelon
  very strong pressure group
• Lack of clear mission Parliamentary debate not
  expected to live up to the problem
• Bologna Process controversial
• Attitudes of faculty and students resistance to
  change, or innovation, concentrating on survival
• Devaluation of university degrees for the
  deficient content behind the diploma
  (universities being considered as diploma
  producing factories)
• Open criticism from employers concerning the
  professional skills of university graduates

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• Teaching and Learning
•         Fact-oriented knowledge based, focus on
  memorization
•         Little attention to skills building
•         No attention to practice, or personal
  involvement
•         Little debate on the necessity of
  innovation
•         Learners are not responsible for their
  learning
•         But some good examples exist in the
  following areas
• social policy
• social work
• special education
• teacher training
• nursing
• civic economy (social entrepreneurship)

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•     
• Teaching and Learning II

• Methods used
• field work
• internship
• volunteer activities
• in-service training
• action research
• participatory research

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• Citizenship Education
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• Bad memories of forced volunteerism in the
  communist era
• Neither professional, nor social debate on its
  importance, or role
• Absolute lack at elementary, or secondary level,
  including social skills development
• Strong non-profit sector, non-formal education
  system
• International cooperation, volunteer services

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• Service Learning
•  
•  
• Almost uniquely in the non-profit sector
• Business sector mainly on-the-job
• Often confused with internship where students
  often are compensated

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• Dialogue between Universities and the Local
  Community
• Ivory Tower phenomenon 
• No social responsibility expected
• Universities are not public spaces
• The state education system has too many
  responsibilities in dealing with various social
  problems governments cannot handle
• In cases when dialogue would be set up, it would
  be considered a waste of time and loss of
  scientific focus

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• Universities are desperately seeking funding
  outside the state system
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• Corporate funding
• Applied scientific research
• Private research institutions
• International cooperation
• Courses for fee
• Courses for international students

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• New Challenges
• European Integration
• Employability locally and internationally
• Need for renewable work force
• Need for life-long learning and transferable
  skills as a result of the knowledge society
• Need for responsible citizens able to make sound
  judgements and decisions regarding their own and
  other peoples life
• Civic engagement as a means to solve local and
  global problems governments cannot handle