"The potential of Service-Learning lies in the fact that it tries to generate opportunities with a formative and transformative impact". This was explained by Aitziber Mugarra, professor at the University of Deusto, on the occasion of the second session of conference of the Civic Parliament, an initiative promoted by the University of Navarra and the Regional Parliament.

Aitziber Mugarra and Ángela García, members of Zerbikas, have given the lecture 'Service-Learning and Innovation at the University: an opportunity for Social Innovation', which was attended by about one hundred people.

Service-Learning is an educational methodology that consists of the involvement of student body in social projects, in which they can participate at the same time they are studying at the university programs of study .

The experts expressed their conviction that, as it is a transformative pedagogical tool , the student "is the protagonist", which, according to Ángela García, represents "a paradigm shift", as it allows students to be aware of "what is the purpose of solidarity, contribution and relevance".

For her part, Aitziber Mugarra emphasized the "novelty" of "a change in the way of understanding Education in general and especially the university and its mission statement, its interaction with society and the relationship between the university and society".

In this learning process, "it is important to take care of relationships, to prevent agents from feeling used or abandoned," said the professor from the University of Deusto, who recommended "scaling projects and being aware of the possibilities of each dynamic".

Aitziber Mugarra explained that the university where she works has led projects such as "Friendly Cities for all people, where the aim is to involve various groups in the process of assessment of urban accessibility, creating spaces for partnership and focusing the process on educational intervention from the pedagogical protagonism of student body".

conference of the Civic Parliament

The goal of the conference of Civic Parliamentan initiative launched in 2010 by the Parliament of Navarre and the academic center, is to explain what characterizes an adequate Education for communication and social service (for social action), what motivates it and how to collaborate in its creation. The axes on which it is based are social action; knowledge, attitudes and social and civic skills; and the role played by the family, the school, the university and the media.