ICAJE and JGNS Board Meeting: Strengthening Collaboration Worldwide
The ICAJE (International Commission on the Apostolate of Jesuit Education) and JGNS (Jesuit Global Network of Schools) Board meeting took place from 26 May to 29 May 2026, bringing together leaders of the global Jesuit educational apostolate to reflect on shared priorities, deepen collaboration, and plan future initiatives in service of Jesuit education worldwide.
The first day of the meeting was dedicated to the work of ICAJE. Discussions focused on several important developments within the global educational network of JESEDU (Jesuit and companion) schools, including the preparation of the II Congress JESEDU–Montreal 2027, which is expected to be a milestone in the journey of Jesuit education worldwide.
The congress will mark the conclusion of the second cycle of global gatherings of Jesuit education and will provide an important opportunity to reflect on achievements, strengthen international collaboration, and discern future directions for the global network. Extensive planning and design work are already underway, with all regional networks working to prepare for this significant event, which promises to further consolidate the shared vision and mission of Jesuit education across the world.
The meeting included sessions of the JGNS Board, which brings together representatives from the various educational networks of the Society of Jesus, including JESEDU schools, the International Federation of Fe y Alegría, and the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). Among the principal topics discussed were the common priorities shared across these networks and the opportunities for deeper collaboration in response to the educational challenges of our time.
To explore these priorities, the Board engaged in a process of discernment in common. Beginning with a review of the key priorities identified in the apostolic plans of each network, participants entered into a period of prayer, reflection, and dialogue to identify the common calls that the Lord may be inviting the networks to pursue together. This process represents an important foundation for genuine collaboration and a more integrated approach to the educational mission shared by the different networks.
Three key themes emerged as the fruits of this discernment:
Formation in discernment in common. Participants highlighted the importance of forming leaders, educators, and teams capable of engaging in shared discernment and collaborative decision-making rooted in Ignatian spirituality.
Forming students as agents of change. The Board reflected on how the Jesuit Global Network of Schools can better accompany young people, helping them develop the competencies, values, and commitment necessary to become transformative leaders in their communities and in the wider world.
Building more inclusive schools. Participants reaffirmed the commitment of Jesuit education to inclusion and explored ways of ensuring that educational institutions become increasingly welcoming, accessible, and responsive to students with learning difficulties as well as students who are economically and culturally deprived.
The Jesuit Global Network of Schools is now entering a planning phase aimed at translating these priorities into concrete initiatives within the local and regional apostolic plans and at the level of the JGNS board. Building on the outcomes of the discernment process, the network will seek sustainable and effective ways to advance these shared goals and mobilise collective action across regions and apostolic sectors.
The meeting was hosted and facilitated by Fr Jimmy Bartolo, SJ, Secretary for Secondary and Pre-Secondary Education of the Society of Jesus, aided by Marco Emanuele, assistant for special projects, whose leadership fostered an atmosphere of reflection, collaboration, and commitment to the mission of Jesuit education.
As preparations continue for the II Congress JESEDU–Montreal 2027, the ICAJE and JGNS Board Meeting reaffirmed the vitality of global Jesuit educational collaboration and the shared commitment of the network to form leaders, empower students, and build educational communities that respond faithfully and creatively to the needs of today’s world.
Related Posts:
After three years of being ad experimentum with the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific (JCAP), the Pakistan Jesuit Mission pauses to reflect on what it means to live and serve in this land. These years have not been easy. Pakistan is often described as an “arduous” place...
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...
There is an ostensibly simple sign that hangs in the entryway of The Loyola School. It greets students and visitors alike as they step from the streets of Baltimore into what once was a string of rowhomes but now is a center for early learning and childhood development...
In August 2027 in Montreal, the Jesuit Global Network of Schools (JGNS) will mark the conclusion of another 9‑year cycle of global gatherings– and the beginning of a new one. This milestone is more than another anniversary; it is the continuation of an intentional plan for global collaboration...
As the Society of Jesus prepares for the Second Congress JESEDU-Montréal 2027, which will bring together Provincial Delegates for Education from across the world, a significant moment of reflection and discernment lies ahead. This gathering will mark the conclusion...
The PCCP project originates from a mandate of General Congregation 36 (GC36) in 2016, which called on the Society to promote “a consistent culture of protection and safety for minors”. This commitment was further strengthened by the second Universal Apostolic Preference (2019), urging...
