Enhancing Civic Engagement Through International Service-learning to Impact Village Community

Every year during semester break in July to August, Petra
Christian University holds an international service-learning which is
popularly known as Community Outreach Program (COP). This program
has been conducted for 20 yr since 1996 in which more than 15 university
partners from 10 different countries have participated in COP. In this
research the impact of COP on the community served through a survey
done on 140 residents of twelve villages in Mojokerto regency, East Java
province in Indonesia is studied. Cultural exchange between the villagers
and the students was also measured, particularly with the overseas
participants. Additionally, the economic impact and the villagers� wish for
a better service that the coming COP can provide, is also investigated. The
results indicate that the villagers were satisfied with the programs, either
physical or non-physical programs implemented in the village during COP.
The presence of the overseas students in their villages made them learn
cultural, language, and religion diversities. Even though, languages were
the barrier for them to communicate with the foreign students, but they
treated those students as if they were their own children. The villagers
hope that this program will be continued.