Service-learning and community engagement (CE) have long been niche topics at European universities. Calls for universities to enhance their role in solving societal challenges have become more urgent since the refugee crisis in 2015. Activities connecting academics, lecturers, and students with society were bundled under the term ‘knowledge transfer', highlighting the importance of university-community collaboration.

Over the past decade, Europe has faced a series of further challenges: the war in Ukraine, the rise of far-right parties, and the climate and energy crisis—to name just a few. In the face of these growing difficulties, universities are increasingly expected to strengthen their engagement with and for society to preserve democracy and social cohesion in turbulent times.

Where better to learn this than at the University of Pretoria (UP)? During Sibylle’s first visit to the Unit for Community Engagement in 2018, she was deeply impressed by UP's vision, passion, and success in implementing the national engagement strategy. UP ensures that all students can participate in a curriculum-integrated, discipline-specific community project, setting a solid example for universities worldwide.

To benefit from this knowledge and experience back in Germany, a delegation of six members of the University of Konstanz visited UP from 4 to 10 October 2024. We were warmly welcomed by Prof Dr Kevin Thomas and Prof Dr Sandy Africa from the Faculty of Humanities, Dr Martina Jordaan from the Mamelodi Campus, and Dr Eugene Machimana from the Unit for Community Engagement, who provided us with an excellent introduction to their work. We had the unique opportunity to visit the sites of various projects, including the Mamelodi Campus, and to talk to lecturers, students, and community partners, further deepening our understanding of UP's community engagement initiatives. This visit was an important step in improving our own engagement efforts and learning how to integrate these practices more effectively into academic programmes. We are keen to build on this exchange and apply these insights to strengthen further the role of academia in addressing societal challenges.

Moreover, the University of Konstanz and UP are considering novel collaborations to enhance academic and community engagement. During the visit, various options for expanding our cooperation were explored, including student exchanges in community engagement, collaborations among student societies, and exchanges in teaching and digital learning. Depending on available funding formats, we are also considering opportunities such as staff exchanges, which could foster the sharing of expertise and further enrich the academic environment. The University of Konstanz looks forward to continuing the exploration of these opportunities and their potential benefits for students, faculty, academics, and communities.

Thank you, UP, for your invaluable insights and great hospitality. We are excited about the opportunities ahead!