The Role of Service Learning in a ‘Future University’

Abstract

In 2016, Dongseo University announced its vision of becoming a „Future University‟ in connection with a detailed plan involving ten changes for achieving that goal. This paper outlines the importance of service learning in the development path of Dongseo University. It begins with the university‟s early history, where service learning figured prominently as a founding principle. It then presents a specific example of a service learning program that has been successfully operated by Dongseo University and Petra Christian University for roughly 20 yr, namely the International Tech Corps. Next, the paper examines four potentially harmful societal trends and suggests ways they might be counterbalanced through innovative higher education. Finally, it provides an overview of some relevant aspects of Dongseo‟s vision of a Future University, including the role of service learning within that paradigm shift in the provision of higher education.