Representatives of the Vis Archipelago Geopark Participated in Training on Service-Learning

On Monday, 26 October 2026, the first educational workshop was held as part of the "Field Mentoring for Service-Learning and Community Development" activity, organised by the Zdravi grad Association under the project "Blue Skills for a Sustainable Future – Service Learning in Support of the Blue Economy".

The workshop, titled "The Role of the Community and Its Needs", was intended for representatives of the partner civil society organisations, Zdravi grad and the Vis Archipelago Geopark, with the aim of strengthening their competencies to participate in the implementation of service-learning and student mentoring.

The training was led by Prof. Dr. Nives Mikelić Preradović, a professor with permanent tenure at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, and an expert in service-learning, who has coordinated and mentored more than 100 student projects based on this educational approach throughout her career.

During the workshop, participants were introduced to the fundamental principles of service-learning, which connects academic education with the specific needs of local communities. Particular attention was paid to identifying and assessing community needs, involving local stakeholders and the role of civil society organisations in collaborating with students and academic staff.

Through practical exercises, examples of good practice and group discussions, participants explored ways to translate identified community needs into concrete and feasible student assignments, while clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of all partners involved.

Participation in this training represents the first step in strengthening the mentoring capacity of the Vis Archipelago Geopark for the implementation of project activities. As the project progresses, the Geopark, in cooperation with the Faculty of Maritime Studies at the University of Split and other partners, will participate in organising and implementing field activities on the islands of Vis and Hvar, through which students will apply their acquired knowledge to address real environmental and social challenges in local communities.

The project "Blue Skills for a Sustainable Future – Service Learning in Support of the Blue Economy" is co-financed by the Swiss Confederation as a contribution to reducing economic and social inequalities in the European Union. The project is co-financed by the Office for Cooperation with NGOs of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

The views expressed in this publication are the sole responsibility of the Vis Archipelago Geopark and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Swiss Confederation or the Office for Cooperation with NGOs of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

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