The University of the Immaculate Conception (UIC), Davao City, has officially joined the Service-Learning Asia Network (SLAN) as a full-fledged member, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to advancing service-learning and community engagement in higher education. The induction occurred during the 10th Asia Pacific Regional Conference for Service-Learning held at Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City.
The Service-Learning Asia Network (SLAN) was initiated in 2004 with the support of the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia. Under International Christian University’s (Japan) leadership, SLAN was established to strengthen collaboration among Asian higher education institutions in promoting service-learning as an innovative and transformative pedagogy. Its mission centers on fostering student exchanges, faculty research, curriculum development, and program evaluation among colleges and universities that share a vision of integrating academic learning with meaningful community service.
The UIC delegation included Prof. Angel Constantine Bajana, the Community Development and Service (CDS) Coordinator of the College of Arts and Humanities, along with three UIC Service-Learning Specialists: Dr. Joan Nacua of the College of Pharmacy and Chemistry, Dr. Lyneth Villarba of the College of Accountancy and Business Education, and Prof. April Joy Parilla of the College of Medical and Biological Sciences. UIC was formally inducted into the network alongside three other institutions during the conference’s Welcome Dinner.
Reflecting on the exposure gained at the conference, one of the specialists, Dr. Lyneth Villarba, shared:
“The recent opportunity to witness, observe, and listen to different views, models, policies, and stories from other individuals from various institutions about service learning lifted my spirit, as doing things like this in our institution is truly meaningful. […] it gives me the urge to continue and to deepen my understanding to do service learning.”
UIC’s induction into SLAN reaffirms its commitment to the holistic development of students through academic excellence rooted in social responsibility. As a new member of this regional network, the university is poised to strengthen its partnerships, expand research opportunities, and engage in cross-national collaborations that enhance its service-learning programs—all in pursuit of transformative education and community empowerment.
The experience clarified the profound nature of this work for another specialist, Dr. Joan Nacua, who stated:
“I realized that service learning will offer a vigorous space where academic learning extends beyond the classroom, engaging students and faculty directly with community realities. Service learning for me is not just community outreach or research, it is an involvement of oneself, of the complexities and issues of our community, and prompting deep reflections.”
The conference also provided practical direction for continuous improvement. According to Prof. April Joy Parilla:
“I learned that it is very important to perform quality work and remain consistent in everything you do. To build social capital within our community, it is essential to co-design projects with the people we serve.”
These insights will undoubtedly shape the future direction of UIC’s community engagement initiatives under the SLAN framework.
Source: UIC
