The 12th Annual Meeting of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities – Asia Pacific (AJCUAP) was held in Fu Jen Catholic University in Taipei Taiwan, from August 21-22, 2012.
The meeting began with a sumptuous welcome banquet at the Hotel de Chine. Fr. Luis Gendron, S.J., President of the FuJen Faculty of Theology of St. Robert Bellarmine, welcomed the participants on behalf of the Provincial of China. Prof. Vincent Han-Sun Chiang, President of FuJen University, welcomed the guests on behalf of FuJen Catholic University. Fr. Joel Tabora, S.J, President of Ateneo de Davao University and Chair of AJCU-AP, also welcomed the guests, and gave an overview of the Annual Meeting. He noted that of the 12 charter members, 11 were represented, and 9 were voting CEOs; of the 6 regular members, 3 were represented, and two were voting CEOs. He acknowledged particularly the participation of the new Delegate for the Jesuit Apostolate in Fu Jen Catholic University, Fr. David Yen.
The planned evening sharing of CEOs was dispensed with as participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire concerning the progress of participants universities or works in the light of past AJCUAP resolutions.
The more formal sessions commenced the following morning in the First Conference Room of Fu Jen’s Cardinal Yu Pin Administration Building.
All participants were invited to participate in the CEO sharing. Those who shared were: Fr. David Yen, S.J., of the Jesuit Apostolate in Fu Jen Catholic University; Fr. Paulus Wiryono Priyotamtama, S.J., Rector of Sanata Dharma University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Fr. Ramon Jose “Jett” Villarin, S.J., President of the Ateneo de Manila University in Manila, Philippines; Prof. Yuji Kawano, President, Elisabeth University of Music in Hiroshima, Japan; Fr. Julio Guiletti, S.J., Director of the Loyola Vietnam Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Prof. Jae Ho Roe, permanent representative of Sogang University in Seoul, Korea; Fr. Gerald Healy, S.J., representing the Intellectual Apostolate and Higher Education in Australia; Fr. Antonio Moreno, S.J., President of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City, Philippines; Fr. Masashi Masuda, S.J., Vice President for Student and General Affairs and permanent representative of Sophia University; and Fr. Clay Pareira, S.J., Vice Director of Politeknik ATMI Surakarta in Indonesia. Our guest, Mr. Kirk O. Hanson, Executive Director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics of Sta. Clara University, shared how his center promotes ethics in various fields and how he wished to be advised on how significant funding might be used to educators of Jesuit institutions in promoting ethical leadership. The sharing was rich and informative.
Fr. Gerard Blaszczak, S.J., new secretary to Jesuit General Superior Adolfo Nicolas for Faith and Spirituality, delivered his keynote address on: Faith and Jesuit Higher Education. He spoke of the shared service of the Faith in our universities qua universities, and of the intimate relationship between the service of the faith, the promotion of justice, cultural transformation and inter-religious dialogue based on John Paul II’s Ex Corde Ecclesiae and letters and addresses esp. of Frs. General Kolvenbach and Nicolas. A spirited discussion followed.
In the afternoon session, the various schools reported on progress or lack of it in the AJCUAP consortia on Faith and Culture (led by Sogang University); on Atheism, Secularism, Fundamentalism and Inter-Religious Dialogue (led by Sanata Dharma University): on Poverty, Migration and Injustice (led by Ateneo de Manila University); and on Environment and Climate Change (led by Sophia Univesity). Fr. Tabora relayed the invitation by Fr. Mark Raper to AJCUAP to collaborate in the educational development of Myanmar through St. Aloysius Gonzaga English Language Institute in Taunggyi and Campion Institute in Yangon. The members of the four consortia met together in order to push the consortia agenda together.
Concerning the shared resolve of the members of the AJCUAP to develop programs in leadership based on inputs coming from the Center of International Business Ethics (CIBE), the members reiterated their resolve to implement this, as varying types of leadership development in various universities was noted. Fr. Stephan Rothlin of the CIBE and Mr. Kirk Hanson of the Markkula Institute of Applied Ethics of Sta. Clara University reiterated ongoing support for these efforts. Meanwhile, they recommended use of www.globethics.net as a rich source for business ethics research.
Similarly, the resolve of the members of the AJCUAP “to grow green campuses” was reiterated, even though difficulty was expressed by ADDU and ATMI for the proposal of Fr. Pedro Walpole, S.J., to develop an inter-university higher education capability to train sustainability officers. There ensued sharing on what various universities in AJCUAP are now doing to grow green campuses. Mr. Kirk Hanson also shared the experience of American universities in evolving their “green campuses.” It was decided that what was shared would be compiled and distributed as possible “best practices,” and that in the next meeting there would be further sharing on the universities’ experiences in growing green campuses. In this process, shared standards might then be evolved.
A video report on the Service Learning Program hosted by Ateneo de Davao University was shown.
As the CEO’s met for the Business Meeting, the International Networking Officers (INOs) of the schools present met separately. Co-chaired by Dr. Jae Ho Roe of Sogang University and Mr. Glenn de Leon of ADMU, the INOs agreed on their agenda for the forthcoming meeting of INOs in Cagayan de Oro this coming November.
In the Business Meeting, Fr. Joel Tabora, S.J, of ADDU and Fr. Paulus Wiryono Priyotamtama were re-elected as AJCUAP chair and vice-chair respectively for another three-year term.
The Fu Jen Faculty of Theology of St. Robert Bellarmine was accepted as a new member of AJCUAP.
The heretofore regular members, Driyarkara School of Philosophy and the Lay and the Jesuit Partners in Campus Ministry, were dropped as members for inactivity.
It was resolved that the next meeting would be hosted by Sogang University in Seoul, 20-21 August 2013.
Finally, a resolution of thanks to Fu Jen Catholic University, esp. the International Education Office, for hosting the AJCUAP Annual Meeting with such friendliness and helpfulness.
It was further resolved that Fr. Michael Garanzini, S.J., the new chair of the International Committee on Jesuit Higher Education (ICJHE) and concurrently President of Loyola University of Chicago, would be invited as the guest speaker to speak on a topic of his choice. However, it was suggested that he consider the Bicentennial Celebration of the Restoration of the Society of Jesus.
Fr. David Yen, S.J., presided over the closing Eucharist in the small chapel of the Student Center of Fu Jen University. It was the Feast of Mary the Queen.
The closing dinner was enjoyed by all in Dazheimen Restaurant, not far from FuJen.