The International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) convened its 2025 Assembly, emphasizing the theme “Our Mission in Challenging Times,” at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, from 30 June to 3 July 2025. This pivotal event marked the third Assembly organized by the IAJU and assembled over 180 presidents, rectors, and leaders from Jesuit higher education institutions globally. Among the participants was Fr Mars P Tan, SJ, President of Xavier University, who attended alongside other university presidents from Philippine Jesuit schools: Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU), and Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU). The Assembly aimed to address pressing contemporary global issues, including migration, environmental sustainability, artificial intelligence, mental health, secularization, and the crisis of democracy. These global challenges help influence the landscape of education today and demand immediate and robust responses from academic institutions to create a better world.

On the second day of the Assembly, Fr General Arturo Sosa delivered a compelling address, asserting the vital role of Jesuit universities in confronting a fractured and secular world. He urged participants to embody hope, foster innovation, and create essential spaces for dialogue. Fr General Sosa highlighted the urgency of identifying and articulating the distinctive contributions of Jesuit institutions in education, research, and service. This discernment process must firmly align with the Jesuit mission of justice, hope, and stewardship for humanity and the environment. In essence, he called upon Jesuit universities to not only acknowledge but actively pursue their role as agents of change in addressing the world’s most pressing issues while adhering to their foundational principles of reconciliation and justice.

The Bogotá Assembly 2025 gathered experts and delegates from around the world to formulate actionable strategies for how Jesuit universities can effectively prepare young leaders for the demands of contemporary society. Furthermore, it focused on deepening the understanding of various challenges and identifying viable solutions. The Plenary Sessions and workshops were strategically designed to facilitate the exchange of ideas, promote best practices, and drive collaborative efforts. The Assembly 2025 underscored the crucial individual and collective responsibility in tackling the complexities of a fragmented world; regional conferences were strategically designed to facilitate the exchange of ideas, promote best practices, and drive collaborative efforts.

Across plenaries and parallel sessions, leading topics included:

• Democracy in Crisis – examining populism, polarization, and “post-truth” threats to civic life.
• Student Well-being – offering an Ignatian compass for mental health during pervasive youth distress.
• Secularism and Mission Identity – discerning faithful but open stances in plural environments.
• Artificial Intelligence – planning ethically grounded integration of AI into Jesuit pedagogy
• Migration and Refugees – reinforcing solidarity beyond symbolism to structural advocacy.
• Environmental Justice – responding to Pope Francis’ “cry of the earth and the poor” through ecological action.

The Assembly emphasized the roles of Jesuit universities

• Form students to become future leaders able to navigate complex global challenges, fostering hope and meaning in the face of adversity.

• Creatively adapt structures and approaches to a changing world by emphasizing agility, flexibility, and fidelity to Ignatian values.

• Distinguish truth from falsehood, especially in the face of ideologies that justify harmful actions by presenting themselves as defenders of the people. 

• Address the dehumanizing treatment of migrants and the need for international aid and foreign investment that promote social and economic conditions for dignified living. 

• Care for the environment and address the environmental destruction caused by dominant economic systems. 

The Assembly’s theme, “Our Mission in Challenging Times,” represents a clarion call for decisive action. Through meaningful dialogue, a commitment to fraternity, and the promotion of institutional unity, Jesuit universities reaffirm their dedication to fostering a just, hopeful, and humane society. Bogotá 2025 signifies not an endpoint but a launching pad—serving as a focal point for a continuing mission: to educate leaders endowed with compassion, wisdom, and a sense of solidarity to navigate a challenging future.