The International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) Assembly 2025 took place from June 30 to July 3, 2025, at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia. This important three-yearly meeting involved 170 Jesuit universities from around the world, including Universitas Sanata Dharma (USD). The assembly aimed to develop joint strategies to address global challenges in higher education. The theme was “Our Mission in Challenging Times: Let’s Write the Next Chapter of Jesuit’s Higher Education History,” and it began with an inspiring speech by Father General Arturo Sosa SJ, who emphasized the need for Jesuit universities to be creative and dialogic, rooted in Ignatian identity. He outlined three main pillars for Jesuit higher education: Charism, Context, and Way.
Over 300 participants attended the assembly, including the USD delegation led by the Rector Fr. Albertus Bagus Laksana, S.J. and Vice Rector for Cooperation Caecilia Tutyandari. USD expressed its commitment to strengthening the global network of Jesuit higher education, focusing on transformative, contextual, and socially impactful education.
One significant session addressed the challenges of secularism in Catholic higher education, with Rector Pater Bagus serving as a panelist. He discussed how secularism appears in different forms and contexts, highlighting the strategic role of Catholic universities in confronting these challenges. Msgr. Carlo Maria Polvani encouraged participants to study secularism’s symptoms and challenges specific to their context and how religion interacts with secularization.
Pater Bagus explained the unique dynamics of secularization in Indonesia. In urban youth, there is a tendency to distance themselves from religious institutions while still seeking spiritual meaning. Religious identity is becoming more fluid, open, and often hybrid, reflecting a plural culture and global challenges. He stated that the main challenge is not repression of the Catholic faith but the weakening of Catholic values in public life due to market forces and competitive education systems.
He proposed a framework of human flourishing that creatively unites religious, ethical, and social aspects. USD has integrated this framework into its academic mission, collaborating with institutions like the Australian Catholic University and Universitas Gadjah Mada. Recently, an international conference on this topic was held in Rome, featuring researchers and delegates from various institutions.
Pater Bagus highlighted the vital role of Jesuit universities in creating spaces for intercultural and interfaith dialogue, supporting students in their search for meaning, and fostering public leadership based on justice and compassion. In this context, secularization is not seen as a threat but as an opportunity to renew faith and spirituality authentically.
During the four-day assembly, various other topics were discussed, including the impact of artificial intelligence on learning, environmental justice, student mental well-being through Ignatian spirituality, immigration, refugee issues, and the complexities of democracy and identity. USD’s participation reaffirmed its commitment to holistic, transformative education, contributing to global solutions, and fostering solidarity with Jesuit universities worldwide.
The assembly aims to strengthen a shared vision for Jesuit higher education globally, develop concrete strategies to confront contemporary challenges, and expand collaboration networks across education and research. This event further establishes USD as a leading Jesuit university in Southeast Asia, contributing to building a more just, sustainable, and hopeful world.
Contributor: Antonius Febri Harsanto – Humas Universitas Sanata Dharma
