Argentina:  CLAYSS, 20 years of service-learning  

Service-learning consists of  applying classroom learning  and  getting to learn  things that one cannot always learn in class. Clayss, based in Argentina, has built networks and alliances with educational institutions world-wide.

A twenty years journey in the field of education is not a short one at all. CLAYSS, the Latin American Centre for service-learning started in Buenos Aires in 2002. It started as ‘a crazy dream’ in  the midst of an economic and social crisis, and it has extended its activities not only to other Latin American countries but also to countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. This wide network, built together with various educational institutions, involves all age groups, from kindergarten to university.

CLAYSS is marking its first twenty years of life  by 20 conferences organized in 20 different cities. We met Nieves Tapia, its founder and director, at the LUMSA University in Rome..

Professor Tapia explained: “Service-learning combines theory and practice. It gives  both children and young university students  the opportunity to learn by applying classroom learning while being of service  to others”..

An International Service-Learning Conference will be held in Buenos Aires at the end of August, and  preparations are being made for another conference, scheduled to take place in Rome in October. About a hundred Catholic universties are expected to participate.

In fact, Nieves Tapia explained  that, “Uniservitate is a global programme that  promotes service-learning  in Catholic higher education”.  And she added::  “Its objective is to generate a systemic change through the institutionalisation of service-learning  as a tool that enables higher education institutions  achieve their mission of  offering an integral education to the new generations and  involving  them in an active commitment to the challenges of our  time”..

Uniservitate’s global network is present in 26 countries in the 5 continents through partnerships with more than 30 universities and educational institutions.

Carlos Mana

Our interview. Activate English subtitles.