At the end of the first semester of the current academic year, Universidade Católica Portuguesa (Católica) concluded Stage 10 of its Service-Learning (SL) projects, marking five consecutive years of consolidating this approach to learning and social responsibility.

Launched in 2020, CApS – Católica Service-Learning has become a distinctive feature of the University’s identity. It has played a key role in embedding Service-Learning (SL) across Católica and in strengthening the University’s national and international profile as a benchmark for the institutionalisation of this methodology.

In the Stage 10 cycle, 14 projects were delivered across three campuses: 3 in Braga, 2 in Porto, and 9 in Lisbon. The projects involved several academic areas, including Philosophy and Social Sciences, Humanities, Health Sciences and Nursing, Theology, Psychology, and Education.

Of the 14 projects, eight were developed within bachelor’s degree programmes (Social Work, Nursing, and Psychology), while six took place within master’s programmes (“Psychology of Education and Human Development,” “Psychology of Work and Organisations,” “Psychology of Well-being and Health Promotion,” “Applied Social Gerontology,” and “Religious Sciences”).

Students highlight the transformative nature of SL, emphasising the development of essential skills, greater social awareness, and exposure to real-life learning contexts. Among the testimonials collected, the following reflections stand out: “It helped me develop a sense of responsibility, adapt to new routines, and better understand the dynamics of working in a nursing ward.” Others consider SL “an opportunity for personal and professional growth, which led me to further appreciate the importance of community service in the learning process.” It is also noteworthy that one student mentioned that participating in SL allowed her to “face difficulties that may arise in the world of work.” Students also emphasise the importance of reflection within this methodology: “The experience encouraged me to think critically about our role as agents of change and showed me that small interventions can have a real impact on the lives of children and the community.”

The CApS team takes a very positive view of the work carried out over the past five years and is now preparing to launch Stage 11, which will involve a significant roll-out of projects across the University’s four campuses, reinforcing Católica’s vision as a transformative university at the service of the common good.