Campus of International Excellence – Aristos Campus Mundus 2015

On 14 June, the National Conference on University Service-Learning ApS(U)4 was held at the three Basque universities: University of the Basque Country, Mondragon University and University of Deusto. It was open to all the ApS(U) network members and the university as a whole, and to institutions, organisations and individuals interested in Service learning in our context. The focus of this meeting was on the presentation of several experiences carried out at an international and national level, and in the Basque Autonomous Community.

The conference sessions were held at the University of Deusto and were opened by Maite Zelaia, Vice-Rector for Students, Employment and Social Responsibility of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Jon Altuna, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs at Mondragon University and Jose Javier Pardo, Vice-Rector for Identity and Mission and the University Community at the University of Deusto.

This was followed by a lecture delivered by Chantal Jouannet, Deputy Director of the Teacher Development Centre at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (PUC), who has extensive experience in Service Learning and in the implementation of this teaching proposal in the university context in her country, Chile. Her presentation provided further insights into the ApS model that PUC has gradually mainstreamed, and the impact it has had on students, lecturers and community members (all the social agents involved).

Then, an exhibition of 43 posters was opened in the cloister next to the Auditorium, which showed a wide range of experiences carried out in various universities around the country. Sessions ended with a round-table discussion chaired by the lecturer at the Faculty of Theology, Jorge Canarias, on the experiences carried out in the Basque Country by several lecturers: Donna Fernández (Deusto), Isabel Martínez (UPV) Diego Eguizabal (MU), students: Teresa Pazos (Deusto), Luis Corra (UPV), Itziar Blazquez (MU) and bodies: Cristina Mioño (Alboan) , Javier González and Iraitz Agirre (Bagara).

The auditorium at the UPV hosted the afternoon sessions, where three simultaneous workshops provided a space to share concerns, and create future work and research groups. The workshops focused on the following topics: ApS impact on students (this meeting was expected to be the start of a research group on the research line on identity transformations and the development of transversal competences generated by Service Learning in students); bridges and synergies with other community partners; and challenges in ApS assessment. The Conference ended with a meeting of the ApS(U) network.

The University Learning Service Network is a young network that seeks to bring together all those interested in strengthening cooperation in the field of teaching, research and social action based on Learning Service. At present, you only need to participate or have participated in any of their meetings to become a Network member. Further information at: site/redapsuniversitario/ of the network.