Serving the Community
The story of Service-Learning (S-L) at Lingnan University (LU) started in 2004, with the launch of the Service-Learning and Research Scheme (SLRS). The scheme was mainly funded by a donation from a foundation, and was designed as a pilot program to aid the development of university-wide Service-Learning programmes.
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Two years later, the Office of Service-Learning (OSL) was formed to offer learning opportunities to students to apply their academic knowledge in practice. It is the first time a local university has set up a standalone S-L office. The OSL nurtures change-makers by encouraging students to use their academic knowledge, via an experiential learning model, to engage in community service.
S-L has a significant role to play in a liberal arts education, as does the OSL, says Associate Director Dr Albert Ko Wing-yin. SLRS is also important for student development, he says. These programmes help to broaden the students’ horizons, and sharpen their minds, Ko notes.
Academic study with service
Ko says the university’s S-L model is a pedagogy which combines rigorous academic study with meaningful community service and reflection. “It is a high-quality teaching and learning strategy that aims to facilitate student learning in terms of academic knowledge and personal development,” he says.
“By using S-L to serve the community, students and course instructors embody Lingnan University’s long-standing motto, ‘Education for Service’,” says Ko. Over 800 students participate in S-L projects each year, supported by different academic departments and social agencies.
