The International Commission on the Apostolate of Jesuit Education (ICAJE) supports the Secretariat for Secondary and Pre-Secondary Education in animating, coordinating, and renewing Jesuit education worldwide. Since its establishment in 1980, ICAJE has fostered collaboration among regions and promoted a shared educational vision rooted in the Ignatian tradition.

Over the decades, ICAJE has contributed significantly to the renewal of Jesuit education through landmark documents such as The Characteristics of Jesuit Education (1986), Ignatian Pedagogy: A Practical Approach (1993), and Jesuit Schools: A Living Tradition in the 21^st Century (2019). These texts continue to inspire schools and educators as they respond creatively and faithfully to the challenges of today’s world.

Today, Jesuit education forms one of the largest educational networks in the world, bringing together more than 2,900 schools and educational initiatives in over 80 countries, serving approximately two million students. Beyond academic excellence, Jesuit schools seek to educate the whole person, forming women and men for and with others, committed to justice, reconciliation, faith, and care for our common home.

In recent years, the Jesuit Global Network of Schools (JGNS) has become an increasingly important space for collaboration and shared discernment across the Society of Jesus. The network includes not only JESEDU (Jesuit and companion) schools worldwide, but also the International Federation of Fe y Alegría and the educational initiatives of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS Education). Through common projects, formation initiatives, and international encounters, the JGNS strengthens the sense of belonging to one universal body with a universal mission.

A significant step in this journey took place in late 2025, when Father General approved amendments to the Charter for the Jesuit Global Network of Schools, formally establishing the JGNS Board. The Board includes the coordinators of the regional JESEDU networks, together with the General Coordinator of Fe y Alegría, the Head of Education of JRS, and Educate Magis. This new governance structure reflects a growing commitment to global collaboration, shared discernment, and coordinated mission.

For the first time, the members of the JGNS Board will meet in person in Rome from May 26 to 29, 2026. Following an initial day dedicated to ICAJE, the full JGNS Board will gather to reflect on the present reality of Jesuit education, discern common priorities, and plan future initiatives for schools and educational communities worldwide.

The challenges facing education today are many: rapid technological change, growing inequalities, cultural fragmentation, ecological crises, and the urgent need to accompany young people with hope and meaning. Yet Jesuit education continues to believe deeply in the transformative power of schools and educators. Rooted in the Ignatian vision and strengthened by global collaboration, the members of the JGNS seek to walk together in mission, listening carefully to the needs of our world and responding generously to the call of the Gospel.