Insights from the 2025 IAJU Assembly in Bogotá

The 2025 International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) Assembly, held at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, brought together leaders from across the world to discern the next chapter of Jesuit higher education. The closing Assembly focused on two overarching questions: What are priority issues for Jesuit Higher Education at the global level? And how can regional networks actively implement the IAJU Strategic Agenda to address these concerns?

Priority Issues for Jesuit Higher Education at the Global Level

The Assembly highlighted six urgent and interconnected themes: Democracy, Student Mental and Spiritual Health, Secularism, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Migration and Refugees, and Environmental Justice. In the closing Assembly, all six were identified as key areas of concern, though four stood out as immediate priorities for collective action. Emphasis was also placed on concrete steps to increase global collaboration.

1. Student Mental and Spiritual Health

Student well-being was a central concern raised by every region. Delegates cited a growing crisis in mental health and a loss of spiritual grounding, particularly in post-pandemic contexts. Addressing this requires holistic formation programs that attend to emotional, psychological, and spiritual development, especially for students struggling with identity, purpose, and hope.

Suggested IAJU Actions:

· Establish a Task Force on Student Formation and Well-being to develop culturally adaptable formation and mental health frameworks/programs.

· Facilitate regional pilots and share training resources digitally across institutions.

2. Democracy and Global Citizenship

Many regions noted the erosion of democratic norms, fragile civic institutions, and rising authoritarianism. Jesuit universities are called to form students as global citizens and local leaders rooted in justice.

Suggested IAJU Actions:

· Develop a Democracy and Citizenship Observatory, built on the Association of Universities Entrusted to the Society of Jesus in Latin America (AUSJAL) model.

· Promote local and interregional civic education, advocacy, and student exchanges focused on leadership and peacebuilding.

3. Environmental Justice

Environmental degradation was named as an existential concern. Integral ecology, rooted in Laudato Si’, continues to serve as a unifying framework for sustainability, justice, and spiritual renewal.

Suggested IAJU Actions:

· Form an IAJU Sustainability Network with regional nodes and an Environmental Observatory.

· Share models for green strategic plans and policies and ecological formation for students and staff.

· Consider establishing a shared University Socio-Environmental Responsibility evaluation model.

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Rapid AI developments prompted widespread reflection. Concerns ranged from ethical risks to its impact on pedagogy and identity. AI was framed not only as a technical challenge but as a call to discern what it means to form fully human persons in an increasingly digital world.

Suggested IAJU Actions:

· Create a working group on AI and Jesuit Education to explore Ignatian responses, curricular innovation, and institutional guidance.

· Convene regular best-practice meetings to share strategies in a quickly evolving AI landscape.

5. Concretely Increase Global Jesuit Higher Education Institution Collaboration

Emerging from the 2025 Assembly, Jesuit education leaders are excited to not only talk about collaboration but take actionable steps to increase it.

Suggestion IAJU Actions:

· Establish an IAJU Desk for Global Exchange and Collaboration to enhance IAJU institution networking and collaboration, including faculty and student exchanges, joint research, global curriculum development, and peer accreditation.

· Establish a “Jesuit Blueprint,” modeled after Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU)—North America’s Mission Priority Examen framework.

· Develop programs to enhance administrative staff formation, in addition to that of faculty and students.

· Consider the development of a Global Jesuit University

Implementing the IAJU Strategic Agenda at the Conference Level

Each region was invited to reflect on and propose actions aligned with IAJU’s 2024-2028 Strategic Agenda. Regional highlights include:

Jesuit Higher Education Association South Asia (JHEASA)

· Collaboration & Networking: Establish a JHEASA Board, Desk for International Exposure, JHEASA-IAJU Fellowship and other forums to facilitate a unified collaboration model.

· Specialized Task Forces: Create regional groups focusing on global citizenship, sustainability, student well-being, and democracy promotion.

· Jesuit Identity: Establish zonal training centers to deepen Jesuit character, especially in growing and affiliated colleges.

AJCU-Africa and Madagascar (AJCU-AM)

· Research Teams: Launch research teams focused on democracy and global citizenship, migration and refugees, and ecology and environmental justice, increasing research rigor and context-based knowledge.

· Collaboration: Develop ad intra (within Africa) and ad extra (global) partnerships. AJCU-AM wants to be “an instrument of hope” through globally-minded, locally-rooted solutions.

AJCU-Asia Pacific (AJCU-AP)

· Specialized Task Forces: Launch and expand tasks forces on student mental health and spiritual well-being, AI, integral ecology and democracy.

· Universal Integral Ecology Curriculum: Develop a universal, interdisciplinary curriculum on integral ecology and environmental justice, which can be expanded to faculty and staff.

Kircher Network

· Strategic Criteria: Prioritize common global projects initiatives using the following criteria: Ignatian profile, impact, feasibility, existing strengths, and synergy.

· Research: map existing initiatives, share best practices, clarify scope, and apply for funding for student well-being, AI, democracy, and environmental justice research.

· Formation Programs: Develop accessible formation programs, especially related to democracy, environmental justice, and Ignatian identity.

AUSJAL

· Formation Programs: Develop global citizenship training, an AUSJAL University Ignatian Leadership Program, and expand volunteering opportunities.

· Environmental Accountability: expand the AUSJAL Model for the Evaluation of University Socio-Environmental Responsibility and the “configuration of Laudato Si’ universities.”

· Research: continue and expand research on inequality and poverty, environment and corruption, democracy, and Ignatian pedagogy.

AJCU-North America (AJCU-NA)

· Collaboration & Joint Programs: Expand joint degree programs, exchanges, and shared research centers both domestically and internationally. Consider internal incentive programs to increase involvement.

· Tools & Infrastructure: Build digital platforms and resources (e.g. best practices networks, white papers, websites, and applications) to support collaboration across institutions.

Conclusion

The 2025 IAJU Assembly reaffirmed the network’s shared vision and commitment to writing the next chapter of Jesuit higher education, rooted in faith, justice, and the dignity of all persons. Now, as IAJU looks ahead, the task is to harness that collective energy—to build structures, fund initiatives, and accompany institutions in making global priorities tangible realities for students, faculty, and the world.