Experiential learning as community engagement: Exploring the experiences of undergraduate students in an African university

Abstract

Higher educational institutions are most often expected to equip students with the needed skills to make an impact in their communities, while also contributing to sustainable development in their surrounding communities. Though efforts are being made to realise the above goal, there has been little academic attention given to how universities can engage with their surrounding communities in such a way that contributes to the training and learning experiences of students through community-based learning programmes. This research therefore explored the experiences of undergraduate students of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development located in Somanya, Ghana who engaged in a community-based experiential learning programme. Based on qualitative interviews, focused group discussions, and workshops with the students after their stay in the communities, the results indicate that they acquired problem-solving, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary knowledge skills. They also had the opportunity to interact with community members. For African universities, the study suggests that societal impacts through community-based learning should be a core pillar of university strategic priorities, rooted in Africanist principles of collective culture and learning. In sum, fostering strong university-community relations can help in aligning priorities and developing shared goals and strategies.