Partnerships Among Colleges and Universities for Service-Learning

The authors propose principles and practices of building service-learning partnerships between and among institutions. Benchmarks for such partnerships are discussed, as well as some of the issues involved, such as the complexity of higher education, poor planning and design, failure to maintain communication and relationships, and the clash of different cultures. Characteristics of strong partnerships are described and include complementing the strengths of each partner, involving all stakeholders in defining issues and benefits, and using service-learning to stimulate partnerships. The chapter also includes an example of a successful partnership.