Today is an event of East meeting West. Seattle University is visiting Loyola Campus for signing an MoU and for initiating academic collaboration. Seattle University is a Jesuit University in Seattle, Washington State, USA. It is the largest independent university in the Northwestern United States, with over 7,500 students enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate programs within eight schools. We welcome the delegation comprising the President, Prof Eduardo Penalver, and Deans of various schools; and we are happy to welcome one of our illustrious alumni Dr Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University in Haryana.
Jesuit Charism:
For the Jesuits, education is a fire that kindles other fires bringing in academic, social, cultural, religious, and political enlightenment. In the words of GC 35 (Dec 2), Jesuit institutions of higher learning realize that our institutions have many success stories but all from one Jesuit history; and further, the Jesuit educators realize that there are many sparks, but one fire, namely seeing everything new in the spirit of Ignatian magis.
Jesuits, as pioneers, pathfinders, and innovators, have found the formula of combining intellectual and humanitarian. Ever since they brought out ratio studiorum, that is teaching-learning methodology, in 1599, they developed academics enriched with liberal arts embedded with cultural and social activities, especially music and drama. The Jesuit education is not offered just for the individual but to reach out to the entire society. This universal outlook has been the dynamism of the Jesuit Order. St Ignatius of Loyola, the Founder of the Jesuit Order, sent his friend and his probable successor to govern the Jesuit Order, St Francis Xavier, to the Indies at a time when Indies existed as a concept. When St Francis Xavier landed in Goa in 1542, just two years after the founding the Jesuit Order, he immediately founded St Paul’s College in Old Goa. It was once the main Jesuit institution in the whole of Asia and it housed the first printing press in India, having published the first books in 1556, the year St Ignatius died.
The concept of Jesuit education, as spelled out by Fr Kolvenbach, the former General Superior of the Jesuits, in Boston, USA on 07Jun1989, is that it is i. comprehensive; ii. World-affirming; ii. Social responsibility; iv. Multi-disciplinary etc. Starting from formation of mind and heart, Jesuit education works on universal outlook to form global leadership who would be men and women for others filled with altruism and work for promotion of justice. And this would be supported and complemented by research. This was given as a mandate by Pope Francis when he addressed the International Federation of Catholic Universities (04Nov2017) that education in Catholic Universities should have three areas of focus, namely, “research, teaching, and social promotion in order to bring about the construction of a more just and humane world.” In order to realize this, he recommended “further studies into the root causes of forced migration with the aim of identifying viable solutions.” The outcome, in his expectation, is formation of “political leaders for the future, entrepreneurs, and artists of culture.” And we are gathered her to explore the possibilities of our joint venture to make the world a better place to live in.
Internationalization of Education:
Today the Jesuits are working in about 110 countries teaching and doing research in about 200 institutions of higher learning. GC 34 also expects that, “Jesuit universities will promote interdisciplinary work; this implies a spirit of cooperation and dialogue among specialists within the university itself and with those of other universities” (GC 34 413). Jesuit education, in this sense, transcends nations and becomes international.
Jesuit education is committed to global citizenship as all through the history Jesuit education has been and is multinational as the students are formed as members of the human family with a common responsibility for the entire world, rather than just members of a particular nation or group. This implies that Global citizenship education should not merely an add-on feature but should lead to a pedagogy and program aimed at preparing students to understand and respect world cultures, respect and value diversity; see the good in customs and cultures that are different from one’s own; and to have a global perspective on social injustices. These can be achieved through cultural immersion experiences, academic as well as technologically based exchange programs, multicultural community service learning opportunities etc. Students with impoverished and marginalized backgrounds should be well represented in all these activities.[1]
Ultimate End of Education:
The ultimate end of our efforts to offer internationalized education is to make the world more human. We are becoming prisoners of affluence and media gadgets but we need to develop skills to interact with persons. Once a father filed a case against his son. His contention was that his son should give him one rupee a month in person. The intrigued judge asked why as both the father and son were quite well to do. The father said: I do not actually need the money, but I need to see my son at least once a month. Your judgment in favour of my request would make that opportunity as he is very busy and has no time for me. When you are young, the parents are busy and when your parents are old, you are busy. We need people and their human touch – Jesuit education should give that not only on a local and national but on an international platform. Ultimately education should bring people together and Jesuit education should create the global village. Let us take all our efforts to realize this goal of finding one’s life in enriching the lives of others. Let us make the best of our academic collaboration.
Francis P Xavier SJ
07Dec2022
[1] https://www.educatemagis.org/living-tradition/jesuit-schools-are-committed-to-global-citizenship/