Community-Engaged Learning and the UN SDGs: Insights from Two Indonesian Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are constantly reviewing and improving their programmes, curricula, and initiatives to remain competitive and at the forefront of economic and industry needs, evolving global and social priorities, and changing demographics. Beyond the first and second missions of teaching and research, respectively, HEIs are increasingly incorporating civic engagement, community-based learning, service-learning, and social innovation in their programmes and curricula to enhance their third mission. Involvement in these areas helps develop active and engaged citizens, more cognizant of their social responsibility, who can contribute to and lead social impact and change. In this paper, community-engaged learning (CEL) is used as an all-encompassing term for initiatives by HEIs in the areas mentioned above related to this third mission. Concepts and applications of CEL in higher education are explored, including to what extent these CEL initiatives are aligned with the UN SDGs, particularly among HEIs that explicitly identify the UN SDGs as part of their university agenda.  Qualitative data and observations from a small-scale exploratory case study (n = 12) of CEL initiatives by two HEIs in Indonesia, which have incorporated the UN SDGs in their university agenda, are presented. This is followed by a discussion of identified themes related to its implementation and challenges, as well as implications for other similar HEIs. The findings offer practical insights for HEIs looking to enhance their third mission through CEL aligned with the SDGs.