Jesuit institutions in the United States are responding to the complex reality of globalization in dynamic ways. Evidence of their commitment to international education can be found in their many global collaborations, programs and initiatives.
International Association of Jesuit Universities
The International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) seeks to promote collaboration, research and programming within and among Jesuit institutions across the world to advance the following priorities:
- Expand efforts to bring higher education to the marginalized and the disadvantaged;
- Promote formation programs for civic and political leaders to better serve the common good;
- Promote awareness and a sense of urgency for an integrated economic and environmental justice;
- Increase efforts to better preserve and develop the Ignatian character of member schools through the formation of lay and Jesuit leadership;
- Promote interfaith dialogue and collaboration on member campuses;
- Promote the study and practice of peace and reconciliation through programs that build bridges and teach critical skills.
Migration Research Directory
The IAJU Migration Research Directory is an open-access tool for anyone seeking high-quality research on migration. Faculty members from Jesuit institutions around the world are making their scholarship more widely available, in order to be of service to others. There is no sign-up or registration needed to search this free and open portal, which is updated regularly.
Study Abroad Consortium
The AJCU Study Abroad Consortium is comprised of Jesuit institutions that have agreed to share study abroad programs with each other. Members of the consortium that have signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for shared programming are eligible to have their program information listed on this resource page. Some of the benefits to AJCU institutions to share programs include mission-driven programming, more study abroad offerings for students, and possible cost savings.
Jesuit Worldwide Learning
Jesuit Worldwide Learning: Higher Education at the Margins (JWL)* is a collaborative global partnership comprised of organizations, institutions, companies and, above all, people, to provide tertiary education to those who would otherwise not have access. It draws on the centuries-long Jesuit tradition of higher education and through a blended on-site and online approach mobilizes the resources of Jesuit and other worldwide networks of educational institutions. Work accomplished from many volunteers, strong on-site and virtual partnerships, a lean executive team and the commitment from students over the past decade continues to move JWL forward in achieving its mission: “Learning Together to Transform the World.”
*JWL grew out of Jesuit Commons: Higher Education at the Margins (JC:HEM).
The Beijing Center
The Beijing Center for Chinese Studies (TBC) provides a unique environment for students from all over the world to begin their engagement with China. Its mission is to promote mutual understanding between China and other cultures. What makes TBC unique is its placement in a long and storied tradition of Jesuit education: one that shows how true cultural engagement starts first with friendship.
International Association of Jesuit Business Schools (IAJBS)
The International Association of Jesuit Business Schools (IAJBS) fosters collaboration between Jesuit business schools across the world. Examples include resource sharing; faculty development; in-person and online conferences; building an international alumni network; and creating joint degree programs.
International Association of Jesuit Engineering Schools (IAJES)
Jesuit colleges and universities with engineering schools are members of the International Association of Jesuit Engineering Schools (IAJES). IAJES objectives are stated on its website:
- To know, to share and to learn from positive experiences in education, research, innovation, and service within member universities, for the purpose of forming engineers inspired by the Jesuit tradition.
- To promote the care of the whole person in all interactions and experiences.
- To propose and work on interdisciplinary and multi-campus projects addressing the needs of marginalized individuals and communities, using the knowledge of science and engineering.
- To sustain a worldwide community of engineering educators, which is driven by a living sense of fellowship, belonging and solidarity.
Nicaragua
AJCU has long stood in solidarity with the University of Central America (UCA), a Jesuit institution in Managua. Click here to read a statement on its closure in August 2023 signed by the presidents of AJCU institutions in the United States, Belize and Canada.