Social Engagement

 

The Social Engagement Program is IBERO’s Service Learning program for foreign students. In the course of the program, IBERO offers the option of collaborating on a wide variety of social projects in which students can apply their knowledge and skills. It is an academic activity that is carried out to benefit society and consolidate the professional and human development of the program's participants.

Participating in one of the social projects that IBERO puts at your disposal will enrich your experience in Mexico and will give you the opportunity to get involved closely with the community and the social realities of the country.

Participating in the program, students spend several weeks (up to a whole semester) working in a project of one of our 200 partner organizations (mainly NGOs). The participation can be designed in a flexible way, and can be integrated into a regular abroad semester, doing regular classes and gaining credits before, after or even during the project work.

Note: all volunteering options are offered in Spanish only, so an intermediate communication level is mandatory

 
 

What's the objective?

Getting to know the social reality of Mexico, contributing to the solution of problems in the communities and offering answers to the different social demands.

Whom is the program addressed to?

To those students who want to:

  • Apply their professional skills and personal creativity in solving social necessities.
  • Find an authentic personal and professional growth by experiencing and understanding the Mexican reality.
  • Contact other people in different cultural contexts.
  • Get accreditation for a social internship from their home university.
  • Enhance their curriculum by volunteer activities.
  • Have a great time abroad.

Where are the projects carried out?

The projects are mainly carried out in Mexico City and in some cases in the southeastern states of Mexico (like Chiapas and Oaxaca). The main characteristic of the regions where the projects are established is the state of extreme poverty, marginalization and social vulnerability of the population.

Can credits be obtained?

The participation in the Social Engagement Program is considered as an academic activity, and as such, it provides academic credits. By participating in the mandatory online workshop and fulfilling the overall number of working hours in the chosen project, students can obtain 8 IBERO credits. In the online workshop, students obtain the necessary theoretical background that they need to reflect on the social reality in Mexico and on their project work.

Can you enroll in additional courses at the same time?

The participation in the program can be carried out as a "stand-alone" program, or it can be combined with regular courses at IBERO. For example, some students designate one day each week for the social project, studying at IBERO during the remaining four days of the week. This option is only possible when the chosen project is located in the Mexico City area. Another option would be to do the program once the regular semester has finished, and to work full-time in the chosen project during several weeks or months.

With previous authorization from the academic coordinators and the assigned teachers, there is even the option to carry out the program in other geographical region (farer away from Mexico City, e.g. in Chiapas or Oaxaca), taking some courses online at the same time. This way, additional academic credits can be obtained, without the necessity of carrying out the project within Mexico City.

During your stay:

Online workshop:The participation is flanked by personalized advisory services and an online workshop. The workshop for Mexico City projects is carried out at the IBERO campus.

Supervision: Students working at the projects are visited regularly onsite by IBERO staff, and have an assigned IBERO advisor with whom they are constantly in contact via internet. At the project sites, a supervising tutor is in charge of the students' everyday work.

Which activities can be carried out? (examples)

Students participating in the Social Engagement Program will be preferably assigned to projects that match with their respective degree program. Thus, a Business student might be designing a marketing plan for small businesses, while a Pedagogy student would likely be teaching in elementary schools or designing a community program for adult education. Here are some examples of possible fields of work within the projects:

  • School teaching.
  • Rehabilitation and integration of handicapped people.
  • Education and promotion of human and civil rights.
  • Assistance to micro and small enterprises.
  • Health services.
  • Environmental protection.
  • and more.

When can you participate?

Depending on the modality and the personal preferences of the student, the stay can last a whole regular semester (January to May, or August to December), or a shorter period in summer.

Documents and contact:

If you are interested in participating or if you require more information, please contact the IBERO Student Mobility Office: info@internacional.ibero.mx. 

We will guide you through the application process.