30 June 2025
Bilbao Campus
From June 30 to July 3, Universidad Javeriana host the IAJU 2025 Assembly, a highly significant event for Jesuit higher education worldwide, bringing together representatives from more than 200 institutions to strengthen academic collaboration and jointly reflect on the role of universities in addressing contemporary global challenges.
Founded in 2018, IAJU’s mission is to foster collaboration among universities to advance issues such as peace, reconciliation, integral ecology, and social justice. Today, the network accompanies the academic and formative journey of over 750,000 students worldwide and seeks to further expand its global impact.
“We seek to answer the question of what makes our institutions distinctive—what is that ‘special’ or ‘unique’ quality that characterizes how they engage with the present moment and contribute to building a desired future,” stated Father Arturo Sosa, S.J., Superior General of the Society of Jesus.
Father Luis Fernando Múnera, Rector of Universidad Javeriana, added: “Today, IAJU is called to broaden horizons, to discern its mission in challenging times, to continue safeguarding the university as a vital social institution relevant to society and democracy, to deepen its meaning, and to strengthen its impact on the lives of individuals and our communities. Addressing current challenges together also means proposing paths of hope.”
Over the course of four days, the plenary sessions will address key themes: “Democracy in Crisis,” focusing on three global trends of concern—populism, polarization, and the transition toward post-truth societies; “Student Well-being: An Ignatian Guide to Spiritual and Mental Health”; “The Challenges of Secularism,” evaluating its impact on holistic education and the identity of Catholic and Jesuit universities; “Artificial Intelligence: Benefits and Challenges,” offering an approach to navigate its complexities by analyzing the many ways AI is transforming higher education; “Migration, Refugees, and Border Populations: Best Practices and Collaborations (within and beyond the Network)”; and “Environmental Justice: Responding to the Cry of the Earth and the Cry of the Poor.”
In addition to fostering dialogue and reflection, this event inspires new initiatives, strengthens ongoing projects, and opens opportunities for collaboration. For example, following the 2022 IAJU
Assembly in Boston, more than 20 universities from various continents joined the Global Citizenship Curriculum, an educational approach aimed at forming students as global citizens. Other initiatives, such as the Laudato Si’ Platform—adopted by over 50 institutions—and networks like ReconciliaNet for reconciliation projects, have also been promoted.
“At IAJU, we value being a reference point for a community engaged in discernment. This is why this is not a traditional academic gathering. We are here to listen, ask difficult questions, and collectively seek insights,” concluded Father Luis Fernando Múnera Congote, S.J., Rector of Universidad Javeriana.
Further information at www.iaju.org.
