Human Rights Education and Integral University Formation: Experiential Learning in Education Degree Programs

In a context marked by the increasing fragility of consensus around human rights and growing challenges to democratic coexistence, higher education bears the responsibility of fostering integral formation oriented toward commitment to human dignity. This study examines an experiential learning initiative implemented across several Education degree programs at a Spanish university. A qualitative methodology was adopted, analyzing 100 reflective narratives written by students after taking part in activities designed to foster encounters with situations of vulnerability and social exclusion. Content analysis followed an inductive–deductive procedure supported by Atlas.ti, organizing findings around three dimensions: understanding of human rights and human dignity, sensitivity toward vulnerability, and perceptions of the university's role as a space for integral formation. Results reveal heightened social awareness, a deeper, experience-grounded understanding of human rights, and a positive appraisal of learning connected to real-world contexts. The discussion highlights the potential of experiential methodologies to foster educational processes that integrate knowledge, ethical reflection, and social commitment, moving beyond purely theoretical approaches. The study concludes that human rights education, when articulated through meaningful experiences, contributes to the integral development of university students and strengthens their capacity to critically interpret reality and take responsibility for addressing contemporary social challenges.