ICJHE Meets to Finalize Plans for International Conference of
Jesuit HEIs

The forthcoming International Conference on Jesuit Higher Education (Conference) was the focus of the meeting of the International Committee on Jesuit Higher Education (IVJHE) convened by Fr. Paul Locatelli,  S.J., Secretary for Higher Education to Very Rev. Fr. Adolfo Nicolas, General Superior of the Society of Jesus, last 16-18 October in the Jesuit Curia, Rome. 

The Committee reviewed the program for the forthcoming Conference, and adjusted it to insure that the Conference would not end with inspirational speeches and empty resolutions, but would provide real opportunity for networking and collaboration among Jesuit Higher Educational Institutions and Jesuits in the Intellectual Apostolate after the Conference.

It highlighted the importance of the Jesuit Commons project as a means of network and collaboration after the Conference.

Fr. General Adolfo Nicola will be the keynote speaker.  Papers also on key frontier areas will be distributed before the Conference and discussed there. 

ICJHE participants were: Fr. Jose Ramon Busto, S.J., Rector, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Spain, representing Europe and Lebanon; Fr. Jose Morales Orozco, S.J., President of the Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico, representing Latin America;  Fr. Charles L. Currie, S.J., President, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities – USA;  Fr. Albert Muthumalai, President, Loyola College, Chennai, representing South Asia; Fr. Joel Tabora, S.J., Chair, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities in East Asia and Oceania; and Fr. Frank Brennan, S.J., of Australia, representing the Intellectual Apostolate.   Fr. Isangu Mwana Mfumi, S.J. of ISAV, Kimwemza, Congo, representing Africa, could not make it due to problems with his visa. 

Contributing experts were Jesuit historian, Fr. John O’Malley, S.J., and Ignatian leadership expert, Chris Lowney, President of the Jesuit Commons. 

All of the participants resolved to work for maximum participation in the Conference from their respective regions.