Promoting service leadership through service leadership learning among Chinese university students

Abstract

In response to the service-oriented economy, effective service leadership, which is composed of moral character, leadership competencies, and a caring disposition (E=MC2, Chung, 2012), is advocated to nurture these qualities among university students. Based on the Service Leadership and Management Model (SLAM), a service learning subject “Service Leadership through Serving Children and Families with Special Needs” was introduced at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Through service delivery, university students were asked to apply their service leadership knowledge and skills. In 2014-15 academic year (Semesters 2 and 3), a total of 71 students participated in this subject and provided service to adolescents in two secondary schools under the Project WeCan. This paper aims at assessing the effectiveness of a subject focusing on developing students’ service qualities through service learning.