"Service-Learning (sometimes referred to as community-based or community-engaged learning) is an innovative pedagogical approach that integrates meaningful community service or engagement into the curriculum and offers students academic credit for the learning that derives from active engagement within community and work on a real-world problem. Reflection and experiential learning strategies underpin the process and the service is linked to the academic discipline" (McIlrath et al., 2016, p. 5).
Educational institutions worldwide have included this methodology in their education. This is the case in countries like the United States, Australia, and Malaysia, where S-L programs have been acknowledged to have positive effects on both individual and societal levels. In Europe, there are some pioneering countries in S-L such as Ireland and Spain, but the approach is not widely used in most European countries and universities (McIlrath et al., 2016).
The benefits of S-L have been the object of numerous studies, and although further studies are called for, conducted research has shown that it enhances students' sense of civic responsibility, life skill development, as well as academic development, and contributes to learning and cognitive development in social issues (Astin & Sax, 1998; Parker-Gwin, 1996; Raskoff & Sundeen, 1999). Also, students themselves have evaluated that S-L increases their confidence and self-esteem, and make them feel proud of their achievements, thus adding to their personal development and citizenship. Community organisations that developed S-L projects under university-community partnerships, recognise that students always bring a new eye on organizations' procedures, contributing to the innovation of these. This happens when organizations can provide projects that include an active role of students and a systematic accompaniment from community tutors.
S-L proved to enhance different skills, such as communication, leadership and entrepreneurship as a result of S-L have also been shown (e. g. Eley, 2003). S-L can enhance students to choose the right vocation and improve their resumes and opportunities as they leave the university and seek jobs (for a summary of research results see Haski-Leventhal et al., 2010). Thus, integrating S-L into curricula has proved to be an effective method to innovate higher education, integrating the responsibility topic into the academic curriculum.
The Erasmus + "Europe Engage" project, outlined 14 quality standards, required to define experiential learning experiences provided by universities as Service-Learning. They can be summarised as follows:
1. Meet Actual Real Needs
2. Partnership
3. Reciprocity
4. Defined goals
5. Link to Curriculum
6. Civic learning
7. Learning in Real-World Settings
8. Students´ active participation
9. Facilitate systematic Student Reflection
10. Ensure support and coaching for students
11. Offer adequate time frames
12. Include evaluation and documentation
13. Values transdisciplinarity
14. Sustainability