Community-Engaged Learning (CEL)

The Community-Engaged Learning Office (CELO) seeks to enhance the global education of our students by increasing and deepening their academic engagement with our surrounding community in reciprocal relationships that help students understand China more deeply, and make a positive impact on local needs. Community-Engaged Learning initiatives combine academic learning with community-based research and service. We help to build bridges between the courses, students, and faculty who wish to incorporate community engagement into their academic teaching and learning.

Community-based Programming

We organize events to connect faculty, students, and staff with community-based topics, experts, and places to foster learning connections and potential future collaborations for research and teaching. Below are some examples: 

Faculty Resources

We can consult with faculty on ideas for integrating community-based resources and projects into their courses. Email shanghai.cel@nyu.edu for a consultation. See additional tools and resources developed by practitioners around the world to help faculty plan for community engagement.

Academic Service-Learning Courses

Service-learning courses offer students the unique opportunity to serve the needs of local communities through applying academic studies. See here for examples.

Faculty-Led Immersive Learning Trips

The Office of Community Engaged Learning partners with faculty to design learning trips around China. These trips connect academic topics with place-based experiential learning about the people, history, culture and environment of local communities. Click here for more information and examples of trips.

College and Career Lab (CCL)
We run a service-learning summer camp for migrant youth in collaboration with local NGOs, Assistant Professor of Psychology Lixian Cui, and NYU Steinhardt Associate of International Education Professor Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng, a founding team member of NYU’s College and Career Lab in New York. More information can be found here: Building Dreams and Breaking Barriers: NYU Shanghai Hosts Summer Camp for Migrant Youth