De la Torre de Marfil a la Tienda de Campaña: Involucramiento Social en el Aprendizaje-Servicio Universitario

This article analyzes the role of community partners in university service-learning projects in Ecuador, focusing on their forms of involvement, the perceived impacts on their organizations, and the tensions that emerge between assistance-based practices and partnership-oriented relationships. The study is situated in a context shaped by a tradition of university engagement with society and by the need to strengthen more horizontal relationships between universities and communities. Drawing on a qualitative phenomenological-interpretive approach, eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of social organizations linked to Ecuadorian higher education institutions. The data were analyzed using Atlas.ti, combining deductive and inductive coding. The findings show that community partners value the educational and social potential of service-learning, but call for greater involvement in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of projects. They also highlight the need to improve student preparation, strengthen critical reflection, reduce bureaucratic barriers, and promote interdisciplinary experiences. The article concludes that the institutionalization of service-learning requires moving toward more co-responsible, sustainable, and dialogical models, in which community partners are recognized as educational agents rather than merely as recipients of service.