EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION FOR SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION. BUILDING INCLUSIVE CULTURES AND PROFESSIONALISM THROUGH UNIVERSITY SERVICE LEARNING

Abstract

Promoting universities as hubs for fostering citizenship presents a chal-lenge that balances the development of competencies with the need to nurture democratic attitudes. The Service Learning approach (SL) offers a promising response, providing an innovative, philosophically grounded, and socially responsible methodology aligned with universities’ commit-ment to social responsibility. This paper examines the institutionalisation of SL at the University of Palermo, focusing on developing an evaluative framework and implementing SL initiative within the master’s degree in Pedagogical Sciences. Integrating theory and practice, SL enables future pedagogists to engage in community service while reflecting on class-room experiences and fostering civic engagement. In this context, SL rep-resents a “pedagogical formula” that bridges university education with so-cietal needs, emphasising inclusion, participation, democracy, and soli-darity. For the master’s degree in Pedagogical Sciences, this approach provides a unique opportunity to position the university at the forefront of social progress, promoting inclusive processes and active citizenship.