Enhancing Civic Engagement Through International Service-learning to Impact Village Community

Abstract

Every year during semester break in July to August, Petra Christian University holds an international service-learning which is popularly known as Community Outreach Program (COP). This program has been conducted for 20 yr since 1996 in which more than 15 university partners from 10 different countries have participated in COP. In this research the impact of COP on the community served through a survey done on 140 residents of twelve villages in Mojokerto regency, East Java province in Indonesia is studied. Cultural exchange between the villagers and the students was also measured, particularly with the overseas participants. Additionally, the economic impact and the villagers’ wish for a better service that the coming COP can provide, is also investigated. The results indicate that the villagers were satisfied with the programs, either physical or non-physical programs implemented in the village during COP. The presence of the overseas students in their villages made them learn cultural, language, and religion diversities. Even though, languages were the barrier for them to communicate with the foreign students, but they treated those students as if they were their own children. The villagers hope that this program will be continued.