Considerations and arguments in favour of institutionalising service-Learning in higher education and universities

Abstract

This article sets out a series of considerations on incorporating Service-Learning (SL) into higher education, assessing its suitability, and proposing arguments in favour of its institutionalisation. The overall meaning of the institutionalisation of innovative practices in learning and teaching is analysed, with a specific analysis in the case of innovations derived from the SL perspective. It is argued that the institutionalisation of such practices should entail a systemic transformation of different dimensions of the institution, and arguments are put forward in its favour. Finally, four brief considerations are made to avoid some naïve conceptions or undesired consequences of what is sometimes understood as institutionalisation