IQS-URL leads a Service-Learning project in collaboration with Fundació Jesuïtes Educació to promote sexual health among young people

05.06.2026

Friday, June 5, 2026. IQS-URL, through its Service-Learning programme (ApS), has developed an educational project with social impact in collaboration with Fundació Jesuïtes Educació (FJE), with the aim of improving sexual education and access to rigorous information on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescents and young people.

This initiative is part of the FJE’s educational model, which promotes the holistic development of students through the acquisition of key competencies such as critical thinking, communication skills, creativity and teamwork. The schools in its network are characterised by being spaces of pedagogical innovation, where personal reflection and commitment are also encouraged, as well as connection with the social environment. This approach seeks to turn students into active agents, capable of transforming themselves in order to contribute to the transformation of the world.

In this context, the joint project between IQS and FJE has made it possible to connect the university sphere with the pre-university educational world, creating a shared learning space with added value for both parties. First-year students on IQS’s Biomedical Sciences degree have worked under the supervision of Microbiology laboratory leads Patricia González and Núria Golet, with the support of IQS’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) unit and the involvement of teaching staff from FJE centres.

A learning project with real community impact

The challenge addressed responds to a relevant public health issue: the persistence of myths and misinformation about STIs among young people. Faced with this reality, the Service-Learning methodology has allowed university students to consolidate their scientific knowledge while developing an outreach initiative with real impact.

As a result, students have designed and implemented evidence-based science communication activities, through oral presentations and visual materials aimed at students across the FJE network. These activities have been focused on prevention, health promotion and the reduction of inequalities, adapting language and content to the needs of young people.

The project has generated clear benefits for all parties involved. On one hand, it has allowed university students to develop essential transversal competencies such as communication, adaptability and teamwork, as well as applying scientific knowledge in a real-world context. On the other hand, FJE students have been able to access rigorous and up-to-date information, strengthening their learning processes and personal growth within their life project.

The results achieved have been highly satisfactory, which has driven the desire to consolidate this type of initiative as a permanent part of IQS’s Biomedical Sciences degree. There are also plans to expand collaboration with more FJE educational centres and other social organisations, as well as to diversify intervention formats with workshops, digital resources and audiovisual materials to reach a wider audience.

Key future challenges include the need to ensure the project’s sustainability, strengthen coordination among the various stakeholders involved, and improve mechanisms for assessing impact over the medium and long term. Equally, continuing to adapt content to the diversity of young people’s realities is considered essential.