Conference Agenda

Kick off the conference by arriving, registering, and connecting with fellow participants. After collecting your conference materials at the registration desk, take the opportunity to explore the venue, enjoy a first coffee, and meet colleagues from across Europe and beyond. The welcome session will officially open the conference, introduce the programme, and provide practical information for the days ahead. We look forward to welcoming you to Bamberg and to an inspiring conference experience.

Join us for the official opening of the conference. Representatives of the organising committee, the University of Bamberg, and partner organisations will welcome participants and introduce the conference theme, objectives, and programme highlights. This session marks the beginning of three days of exchange, collaboration, and reflection on service-learning and community engagement in higher education.

Biography

Sjur Bergan is an independent education expert. He was Head of the Council of Europe’s Education Department until February 1, 2022, where, among other things, he led the Council of Europe projects on Competences for Democratic Culture and the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees. 

Sjur represented the Council of Europe in the Bologna Follow Up Group and Board between 2000 and April 2022 and chaired working groups on structural reforms in 2007 - 15. He was a member of EHEA groups on the fundamental values of higher education 2018 – 24 and a key author of the statements on fundamental values adopted by EHEA Ministers in May 2024.  He is currently affiliated with the Fundamental Values WG as an expert in the NewFAV2 project.

Sjur was series editor of the Council of Europe Higher Education Series. He is the author of Qualifications: Introduction to a Concept and Not by Bread Alone as well as of European Higher Education, Social Responsibility, and the Local Democratic Mission, published by Temple University Press in March 2025. He holds honorary doctorates from Dublin City University (2022) and the University of Oslo (2024) and is the recipient of the 2019 European Association for International Education Award for Vision and Leadership.

Take a break to enjoy coffee, tea, and light refreshments while connecting with fellow participants. The coffee break offers an informal opportunity to continue discussions, exchange ideas, and build new professional connections before the next conference sessions begin.

Join us for the Conference Reception on the first evening of ECSLHE 2026. Enjoy an informal evening with drinks and light refreshments while reconnecting with colleagues, meeting new participants, and continuing conversations beyond the conference sessions. The reception provides a relaxed setting for networking and celebrating the conference community.

Day 2 begins with a brief welcome and an overview of the programme for the day. Participants can look forward to a full schedule of keynote presentations, parallel sessions, workshops, and discussions. Lunch and coffee breaks throughout the day provide opportunities to network, exchange ideas, and continue conversations with colleagues.

Take a short break to exchange ideas, meet fellow participants, and continue conversations in an informal setting while enjoying refreshments.

Enjoy lunch while exploring the poster presentations and engaging in conversations with presenters and fellow participants. This session provides an opportunity to discover ongoing projects, exchange ideas, and discuss research and practice-based experiences in an informal setting. Participants are invited to take their time to visit the posters and connect with the service-learning community.

Prof. Dr. Holger Horz is Professor of Educational Psychology at Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany, where he heads the Department of Teaching and Learning in Adulthood. He also serves as Executive Director of the Academy for Educational Research and Teacher Training and the Interdisciplinary College for University Teaching. His current work examines how digital technologies and artificial intelligence transform learning, teaching, and professional judgement, and how authentic learning environments such as service-learning can foster scientific, professional, and civic competencies. In general, his research up to now focuses on the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in education, higher education and teacher education, as well as service-learning and the development of professional competencies. He has coordinated numerous interdisciplinary and externally funded research projects that combine educational psychology with innovative approaches to teaching and learning.

Dr. Carmen Heckmann is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Educational Psychology and Operational Director of the Interdisciplinary College for University Teaching at Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany. Her research and teaching focus on higher education, teacher education, service-learning, and community-engaged learning. She designs and evaluates innovative educational approaches that connect academic learning with societal engagement and professional development. Her current work particularly addresses democracy education, scientific literacy, and science communication in teacher education and psychology. She is involved in several externally funded projects that investigate how higher education and AI promote democratic values and evidence-informed thinking. She is an active member of the German Psychological Society (DGPs), and the German Service-Learning in Higher Education Network (Hochschulnetzwerk Bildung durch Verantwortung e.V.).

Accreditation is no longer only about academic rigor and compliance with formal standards. Modern study programmes are increasingly expected to foster societal responsibility alongside academic excellence. If higher education is to prepare graduates to contribute to democracy, uphold shared European values, engage as active citizens, and address complex societal challenges, accreditation and quality assurance standards must explicitly recognise and encourage these dimensions of learning.

Service-Learning and related pedagogical approaches effectively bridge theory and practice by connecting students with communities and complex societal challenges. But how are these contributions recognised within European accreditation frameworks? Can quality assurance and accreditation processes actively encourage educational innovation? Or do existing criteria still privilege more traditional academic models?

This panel explores how accreditation and the broader role of quality assurance agencies can support transformative education. Building on recent European developments, including the criteria for the European Joint Degree Label, it examines how quality assurance standards can enable—rather than constrain—the recognition and promotion of meaningful learning experiences that foster civic engagement, active citizenship, democratic culture, and societal impact. This contributes to the joint work of the Policy-Making and Networks & Alliances EASLHE Working Groups by fostering dialogue on how European quality frameworks can better recognise Service-Learning and other forms of societal engagement as integral dimensions of educational quality.

Panelists:

• Berta Paz Lourido https://www.easlhe.eu /  www.apsuniversitario.org
• José María Nyssen https://www.aneca.es/en/quality-observatory-of-the-spanish-university-system
• Frank Peter Ritter https://akkreditierungsrat.de/person/ph-d-frank-ritter/?lang=en
• Jörg Miller https://www.easlhe.eu /www.netzwerk-bdv.de

Take a short break to enjoy refreshments and connect with fellow participants. The coffee break offers an opportunity to continue discussions, exchange ideas, and prepare for the next conference sessions in an informal setting.

The EASLHE General Assembly provides an opportunity to learn more about the European Association for Service-Learning in Higher Education, its activities, ongoing initiatives, and future plans. Members will participate in the official General Assembly, while all conference participants who are interested in the association and its work are warmly invited to attend and gain insights into the EASLHE community.

The third conference day begins with a warm welcome and an introduction to the day’s programme. Participants will continue the exchange of ideas through presentations, discussions, and collaborative sessions, building on the conversations and insights from the previous conference days. We look forward to another inspiring day of learning, networking, and knowledge exchange.

A brief break to enjoy refreshments, recharge, and connect with fellow participants. Use this opportunity for informal conversations, networking, and exchanging ideas before the next conference sessions continue.

Dr. Bernd Josef Leisen is a research fellow and lecturer at the University of Vechta in the Department of Social Services Management. In his research, he uses methods from experimental behavioral economics to find solutions to current issues in social services. 

Patrycja Lidia Stempniewicz has been a PhD candidate in Translation, Interpreting and Intercultural Studies at the University of Bologna since 2023, where she is affiliated with the Department of Interpreting and Translation. Her doctoral research explores translator education through service-learning pedagogy, with a focus on ethical and professional agency, metacognition, active citizenship and competence development.

At the core of her work is an interest in translation as a socially engaged practice and in translator education as a space where academic learning, professional training and social responsibility can intersect. Her research also foregrounds the role of metacognition in hard and soft skills development, examining how reflective practices can help trainee translators become more aware of their learning processes in experiential activities. This perspective informs both her research and her pedagogical activity, including her role as Teaching Tutor for the Service-Learning course since 2024 and as co-coordinator of the IN.TRA language service provision laboratory.

Patrycja is a member of EASLHE, UNiSL, EST and the International PhD College – Collegio Superiore. Since 2025, she has collaborated with research groups at the University of Montréal and Hong Kong Baptist University. In 2024, she also contributed to the IARSLCE Global Research Agenda working group, coordinated by Andrew Furco, helping to identify key research priorities for service-learning and community engagement in Europe and is currently involved in work related to the updating of the European Master’s in Translation Competence Framework.

The award ceremony celebrates and recognises outstanding contributions to service-learning in higher education. This special moment provides an opportunity to honour innovative projects, inspiring initiatives, and achievements that strengthen the impact and development of service-learning across Europe and beyond. Participants are warmly invited to join this celebration of excellence and commitment within the service-learning community.

The conference concludes with closing remarks, reflections on key insights and shared experiences, and a farewell to all participants. This final session provides an opportunity to look back on the inspiring discussions, acknowledge the contributions of the conference community, and express our appreciation to all speakers, participants, and organisers. We look forward to continuing the exchange and collaboration beyond ECSLHE 2026.