The International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) held its third world assembly from 8 to 12 July in Bilbao. During the assembly, some 300 rectors and heads of more than 200 higher education centres met to analyse and debate future challenges. The assembly was chaired by the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Arturo Sosa.

‘Transforming Our World Together' was the motto of the assembly, which was held at the University of Deusto, and whose aim was to reflect on and discuss the main challenges facing academic institutions led by the Society of Jesus (including Georgetown University, Loyola University Chicago, ESADE Business & Law School, San Francisco University, Pontifical Xavierian University in Bogota, and Sophia University in Tokyo).

The inauguration ceremony for the third assembly was presided by King Felipe VI and Iñigo Urkullu, President of the Basque Government, and was attended by the Spanish Minister of Science, Research, and Universities, Pedro Duque. Key speakers included: Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi; Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi; Pankaj Mishra; and Gaël Giraud SJ.

Eugenia Bieto, Director General of ESADE, Enrique López Viguria, Secretary General of ESADE, and Carlos Losada, Professor of the Department of General Management and Strategy at ESADE and General Director of UNIJES, attended the assembly.

Six themes

Civic and political leadership, environmental and economic justice, education for the poorest, peace, reconciliation, and interreligious dialogue are the main challenges the rectors and officials discussed during working sessions.

In addition to strengthening training in civic and political leadership, the assembly stressed the need to move towards ‘environmental and economic justice, education of the marginalised, and dialogue between religions’. These issues also influenced opinion leaders such as the Indian political scientist Pankaj Mishra, considered one of the ‘100 global thinkers’, or Gaël Giraud SJ, scientist and member of the Paris School of Economics.

Constitution of the International Association of Jesuit Universities

In addition, resolutions for the new governing board of the IAJU were discussed, as well as new possibilities of collaboration between universities, regional networks, and within the international association itself. Finally, the constitution of the new Association of Jesuit Universities-IAJU was signed at the Sanctuary of Loyola. The new association will support the entire Jesuit university network with a stable legal structure, and provide a new impetus for universities throughout the world.

The assembly took advantage of its closing day to express solidarity with Nicaragua – a nation that is suffering a serious and growing political crisis – by supporting a manifesto written by the Jesuit Universities of Latin America-AUSJAL that rejects human rights violations and aggression against citizens.

The Society of Jesus has higher education centres in 54 countries in Africa, Europe, the Near East, India, Pacific Asia, United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean, with 800,000 students and half a million employees among lecturers, researchers, and other staff.

More information: http://iaju.deusto.es/