Recognizing the importance of quality education as the main infrastructure to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs), Career Guidance Unit (CGU) of the Faculty of Science has developed a project under the Service Learning Programme to help remote and underprivileged schools to improve and uplift academic activities. The aim is straightforward: engaging undergraduates in transforming the society. “Service Learning” programme is novel working experience where science undergraduates are given the opportunity to exercise their scientific abilities to help needy communities in the country. The financial support is provided by corporate sector partners. The Programme is managed, supervised and assessed solely by the volunteer academic staff members of the Faculty. Thus, Service Learning Programme can be considered as a “Triple Helix” initiative that promotes the partnership between university, private sector and the community. The Service learning programme to strengthen school education focuses mainly on IT, Science and mathematics. It also offers vocational training and other life skills for students to enhance their employability. Since 2012, the Service Learning programme has helped more than 16,000 school children islandwide. Future leaders of the country - the undergraduates and the school children – united for a change. Not only this programme supports schools, but also helps universities in community engagement: provide opportunities to use their skills and resources in science to serve the society, create out-ofclass learning experience for undergraduates with significant enhancement of their soft skills including leadership, communication and activity planning. By this project we have initiated engagement of future leaders- undergraduates and school children.
