APS: the link between the University and its immediate surroundings

Raul Garcia Hemonnet

The fourth edition of the course 'Experiential learning through community service: What is Service Learning?' is here

This programme, which will take place across the campuses of Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Móstoles and Alcorcón from 30 September to 3 October, will allow students to learn what an APS project is, what benefits they get from participating in this type of project and how they can participate in these initiatives connected with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.

According to Rocío Samino, director of the Service Learning Office at the Rey Juan Carlos University, which organizes the course and centralizes all the university's APS initiatives, "a project of this type helps students learn curricular skills and other transversal and social skills, because while they learn they perform a service to the community."

Service Learning projects allow students to generate a positive impact in their immediate surroundings, especially among the most vulnerable groups (people with disabilities, the elderly, migrants, etc.). In addition, they allow them to carry out experience-based learning and see that what they learn in the classroom has application in the real world.

As Samino points out, “participating in this type of project is very motivating for students, since they are the protagonists of the learning process and the process is much more autonomous. Teachers accompany and guide them.”

satisfied students

Although participating in an APS project requires more effort than studying a subject, “the feedback from students is wonderful and they really value the personal satisfaction of helping and being able to put their skills into practice in the real world,” explains the director of the office, adding that “many of the students encourage their teachers to do projects of this type and some contact us because they want to do their TFG with this methodology.”

Thanks to this type of APS projects, the URJC contributes to working on the SDGs and sustainability in teaching. In this way, a link is established between the university and its immediate surroundings.