Jesuit Business Schools and Global Citizenship

We live in a Global World. People, places and economies are more interrelated than ever. New technologies and other advances result in an increased production and a greater variety of services, but unfortunately, many times they result in harming the poor and increase global inequality. Moreover, our common home continues to suffer from our excessive consumption. Inequality, violence and natural disasters incite large numbers of people to leave their country and to join the ranks of refugees.

Furthermore, in his speech to Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Fr General, framed that “in this complex world, each one of us, our works and our institutions are becoming an ever-smaller part of the world… As the world globalizes and our individual possibilities grow, we become smaller in relative terms, we become more insignificant” (Sosa, 2019). In this context he stressed the importance of working within networks and collaboration as the way of proceeding of the Society of Jesus, encouraging us to “Work with others. Work together” (Sosa, 2019)

Global challenges impact all of us and, therefore, solutions to these challenges require ways of thinking and acting that transcend national borders. In this new global context, Jesuit business schools have the responsibility to contribute to the need of educating a different kind economic leader. Jesuits universities are called to form global citizens.

This is why the international conference of the Kircher Network (the regional association of Jesuit Institutions of Higher Education in Europe and the Middle East) is being held on 9-12 July 2023 under the guidance of the Higher Education for Social Transformation (HEST) groups and in collaboration with other associations. The group has been inspired by the Universal Apostolic Preferences which aim to move us to walk closer to others, especially young people and those who have been left on the margins of society. This approach is also key to facilitating the European Regional Group of CJBE.

The central question of this Conference will be:

How can Jesuit Business Schools better prepare our students to lead in the creation of a more sustainable, inclusive, just and reconciled world?

Various topics will be reflected upon:

1. Levering our global network: On the letter where Fr General announced the new UAP´s, Universal Apostolic Preferences, he also called us, our community and institutions to a conversion, reinforces our sense of shared mission. How are Jesuit Business Schools leveraging the Jesuit global network?
   1. Developing partnership among the Jesuit Network: Cases and proposals.
   2. Funding to support our mission. Public and privates: European Union, Fullbrigth, Santander…
   3. Global research collaboration in the attempt to find solutions of the global challenges that we face. How to influence organizations for Social Transformation.?
   4. The role of AACSB as a common language and standard to increase partnership. How to increase the number of Jesuit Schools that get the accreditation. Best practices 
2. Preparing our students for the new work paradigm in a global world: As disruptive forces like Artificial Intelligence, outsourcing, automation and multinational/global companies continue to develop, how can we better prepare our students to lead in the creation of a more inclusive and just world?
   1. Jesuit Business School collaboration with local and global corporations, with the political and social forces.
   2. Providing a framework for reflection on the role each student plays in being part of the positive change.
3. Business Curriculum and global economic and environmental justice: How can our business schools promote the use of more global dimensions in our curriculum? A curriculum that will prepare young people to take their place as citizens in a global society, animate students sense of belonging to a common home and awake their consciousness and responsibility to work towards ensuring more just local, regional and global economic structures. There is an IAJU working group constituted by Jesuit Business School Deans and the Secretary of Higher Education who are working to design and promote a “new paradigm in Jesuit Business Education”.
   1. UN Sustainable Development Goals and Laudato Si Encyclical.
   2. Catholic Social Teaching
   3. Use of the Ignatian pedagogical paradigm.
4. Jesuit Universities and global citizenship education: What does Global Citizen mean for our Universities and Business Schools. Relationship between Laudato si’, Catholic Social Teaching and SDG´s in business education and how to involve them.

If you want to participate or are interested in submitting papers, click here. However, pay attention to the deadlines!

Source: Ignited