Matthew Pink, an expert in service-learning, community-engaged learning and university-community partnerships from the Australian Catholic University, is the invited guest for the 5th T4EU Service-Learning Workshop, taking place at Universidade Católica Portuguesa, on 12 and 14 October 2026.

The two hybrid workshops, taking place online and at Católica, in Porto and Lisbon, will explore complementary dimensions of service-learning: the role of community engagement in the university’s social mission and the importance of critical reflection in connecting experience, academic learning and social impact.

During the Service-Learning Workshops, participants will explore two complementary dimensions of university-community engagement:

Building the Social Mission of the University: Community-Engaged Learning & Community-Engaged Research
This workshop will explore how universities can advance their social mission by strengthening connections between teaching, research, and community-engagement. It will introduce community-engaged learning and research, drawing on practical examples to examine their purposes, relevance, and approaches to implementation.

Critical Reflection in Service-Learning
Participants will discover how critical reflection can transform community engagement into deeper and more meaningful learning. The workshop will explore practical ways to help students connect their experiences with academic knowledge, question assumptions, recognise different perspectives and strengthen their critical thinking, empathy, civic awareness and social responsibility.

The workshops form part of Matthew Pink’s visit to Universidade Católica Portuguesa and contribute to Transform4Europe’s work on service-learning and socially engaged education. They also demonstrate how T4EU’s global partnerships can create concrete opportunities for international knowledge exchange, professional development and cooperation between universities and communities.

Participation is open for academics, teachers and university staff and is free of charge, but prior registration is required. Participants may register for one or both workshops.

Register for the 5th T4EU Service-Learning Workshop: forms.cloud.microsoft  | See the Programme

Australian Catholic University is a global partner of Transform4Europe, and this initiative reflects the growing cooperation between T4EU and its international network. By bringing together expertise from Europe and Australia, the workshops will foster the exchange of practices and perspectives on how universities can work more closely with communities and strengthen their contribution to social transformation.