I am here in Surabaya in Indonesia to explore possible opportunities for new service-learning projects in Indonesia. We have been collaborating with Duta Wacana Christian University in Yogyakarta for many years. Now we have a need to expand our international program. Hence the search for new partners and/or new sites. We are aware of a university in Surabaya which has been running a successful international SL program for many years. Hence we are here to see whether we can work together.
Our two universities share a similar vision for service-learning, and are looking for international partners. Even then, there are still numerous huddles to overcome before a successful partnership can be set up. That is what we have learned over the years. We need to find an actual team from each university that have the capacity to take on a new project - that are willing to work together. They have to agree on a common project: the service and the intended client. They have to agree on the important parameters: the timing, the duration, etc., despite the constraints that each is operating under. Funding and management support have to be available - for both teams. There are so many challenges to overcome that it is a minor miracle that any such project can be put together.
We are just at the beginning of this particular endeavour.
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