About the Initiative

UNICORN (UNIversity COmmunity leaRNing) is an Erasmus+ funded project that creates international exchange opportunities for university students integrated with a service-learning experience in the community. Service-learning (also called community-based learning) is an educational approach that combines learning objectives with community service. It creates effective and enhanced student learning while responding to societal needs.

Cork City Council are working together University College Cork and four other University-Community partners across Europe on this innovative new mobility scheme: Universita di Bologna (UNIBO), Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Universitaet Leipzig (UL) and Universiteit Antwerpen (UA). Over the next three years, each University-Community partner will set up local service-learning projects that will be open to students for international exchange. Participating students will get curricular credits for their involvement in the programme, which will develop skills and competencies they need to be active citizens and competent professionals in today's complex societies. 

The UNICORN project enhances the third mission of civic engagement and social responsibility of our Universities, reinforces collobration between university and community and enhances student experience. In traditional student mobility and exchange programme, students can often fail to connect to the local context. Through this exciting new model, students will have the opportunity to really dive into the local reality. Additionally, adding an international component to local projects opens up possibilities for greater transnational and intercultural learning at the local level.

Queries related to the UNICORN project in Cork can be directed to Anna Kingston at a.kingston@ucc.ie.