Conference Agenda

Service-learning (SL) is an educational approach that helps students to engage with society while learning on an academic, social, personal, and professional level (Salam, et al., 2019). Specifically, SL fosters democratic competences (Nortomaa & Grönlund, 2019). Teaching methodologies for the development of such skills refer to experiential learning through practical activities, which sometimes are developed as informal activities not officially recognized in terms of bearing credit for participation (Cinque, 2016). Thus, there is still difficulty to implement SL as a strategy for integrating democratic competences and personal growth in the academic curricula.

The aim of this study is to contribute to understanding how SL is inserted in the structures of the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) and how it contributes to develop democratic competences.

Methodology

We use a qualitative approach, by conducting a literature review of project reports issued by the UCM (2018–2025) (Xu & Zammit, 2020). We also use descriptive statistics to analyse the frequencies of the different codes.

Results and their impact

Results show that the institutionalization of SL at the UCM is mainly due to calls for project proposals. First calls emerged in 2015 as part of a specific programme of teaching innovation. In the years that followed, both information sessions and signing of an agreement between the UCM and Madrid City Council to promote SL projects, as well as further specific project calls, led to a significant increase in the number of SL experiences carried out (20 in 2019). Moreover, with the establishment of a SL office in 2020, the number of projects increased by 47% on that year. Part of the success of the rise was due to the reports that accompanied the calls for applications, training courses in some faculties, conducting research to share the findings and related outreach events.

Regarding the integration of democratic competences, following the instructions provided in the calls, most SL projects aim to develop critically reflecting, inclusive thinking, supporting the environment, intercultural understanding, ethical thinking and responsible participation in civic life (Gil-Serna et al., 2025). At the same time, those competences are linked with the eco-social principles of the 2030 Agenda.

We can conclude that there is currently an institutional involvement of UCM in SL, as this methodology is integrated into teaching practice across various knowledge areas, notably, within the Social Sciences area in the Faculty of Education, and in Health Science through the Faculty of Pharmacy.