Special Issue on International Community-Engaged Learning (ICEL)

The Special Issue on International Community-Engaged Learning (ICEL) was published in the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement (JHEOE), which was co-edited by UGlobe's own iCEL team - specifically Paul Sch枚pfer, Hana van Ooijen, and Melissa Pellis. We are excited to share this Special Issue with you and hope you can take away some important, useful insights from it!

The special issue dives into the diverse aspects and benefits of international community-engaged learning. Although there is still relatively little research on ICEL, this issue aims to provide tools that can help shape ICEL in a way that benefits students, teachers, and communities across cultures equally and equitably. The special issue contains a collection of contributions and brings together research, reflective essays, and projects with promise that explore how universities, students, and communities worldwide can collaborate to address global challenges.

In the special issue, contributions are broken down into four sub-themes:

  • Conceptual Foundations: exploring the diversity of ICEL projects and identifying common components
  • Navigating Cross-Cultural challenges: setting out the practical issues of ICEL, especially in light of the cross-cultural nature
  • Promoting equality and reciprocity in transnational ICEL partnerships: examining various strategies and approaches for balanced and beneficial transnational collaborations
  • Unveiling the benefits of ICEL: highlighting the potential of ICEL and its multifaceted benefits for diverse stakeholders

Together, the contributions explore practical tools, case studies, and conceptual insights that can help you design, implement, and evaluate equitable ICEL programs. Especially in a time where transnational crises abound and we are culturally interdependent, it becomes increasingly important to ensure inclusive and justice-driven learning, for which ICEL can provide a roadmap. However, more attention and research is needed to further the cause, as the issue highlights the need for more rigorous impact assessments, strategies to better support long-term partnerships, and further conceptual clarity around the diverse practices encompassed by ICEL. Contributions from underrepresented contexts are of paramount importance to ensure that ICEL truly benefits all partners.

On Friday September 26th, the ICEL team will host an event to launch the special issue. Learn more about the event here and follow UGlobe on social media to stay updated.