On 7 and 8 November 2024, the fifth Uniservitate Symposium took place at LUMSA University in Rome, attended by approximately 250 representatives of Catholic universities from across the globe. Under the theme "Service-Learning: Transforming Higher Education from Within," the symposium focused on the institutionalisation of Service-learning in connection with educational initiatives such as the Global Compact on Education and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Germany was represented by a delegation of eight participants from KU Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. Within the Regional Hub for Central and Eastern Europe & the Middle East (CEE&ME), projects from Lublin on healthcare and from Eichstätt on language support for children with a migration background were recognised with awards. Other initiatives from Bethlehem and Eichstätt, which emphasised health promotion, intercultural communication, and festival chaplaincy, were also honoured.
These projects underscore the importance of global responsibility, sustainable development, and intercultural exchange. The awards were presented by an international jury following a multi-stage selection process. The symposium concluded with a private audience with Pope Francis, who commended the Uniservitate project, led by the Latin American Centre for Solidary Service Learning (CLAYSS), for its transformative impact on higher education.
Further information is available at:
https://www.ku.de/news/viele-wege-fuehren-nach-rom-uniservitate-symposium-zu-service-learning
https://www.kul.pl/quot-uniservitate-global-award-2024-quot-goes-to-kul,art_107834.html
https://www.bethlehem.edu/2024/07/19/uniservitate-award/