ZAPOPAN, Jalisco; September 29, 2023.—The Universidad Panamericana, with support from the School of Pedagogy and Psychopedagogy, hosted the 8th Scholas Cátedras International Congress, which took place from September 27 to 29 and was attended by guests from various countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Albania, Spain, the United States, the Netherlands, and others.
What is the Scholas Conference?
Scholas is a movement that seeks to transform education and the university as an institution. This event brings together institutions of higher education from different countries that share the vision that higher education should serve society and address the challenges it faces. Although the participants come from diverse professions and disciplines, they all share a commitment to renewing the university and putting teaching and research at the service of the community.
The Emergence of the Scholas Congress
In 2001, Argentina was in the midst of the greatest political, social, and economic crisis of the past century; half the country was living below the poverty line; there was violence and death in the streets; and the collective sentiment was summed up in the popular cry: “Que se vayan todos!”
Pope Francis, who at the time was Archbishop of Buenos Aires, decided to bring together two trusted educators and ask them to seek out those who most readily absorb, retain, and then express—as best they can—any social reality: adolescents.
That is where the first “Neighborhood School” was founded, along with the first “Sister Schools,” which would later be launched worldwide as “Scholas Ciudadanía.” We must neither protest against those we believe need to change, nor lament and resign ourselves to the idea that nothing can be done: we must commit ourselves, take risks, come together, and create a new way of being together, of living, and of building our society.
From that moment on, Scholas has been traveling the world, listening to young people and embarking with them on a journey of real transformation to address the specific problems they face in their daily lives.
Congress by the Numbers
There was one guest from Albania; 23 from Argentina; one from Austria; 10 from Brazil; 3 from Chile; 5 from Colombia; 2 from the Democratic Republic of the Congo; one from China; one from Cuba; one from the Dominican Republic; 5 from Spain; one from Guatemala; one from India; one from Israel; 3 from Italy; 129 from Mexico; one from the Netherlands; one from Poland; one from the United Kingdom; and one from the United States. In total, there were 193 guests from 73 institutions.
Testimonials from the Conference
Originally from Argentina, Dr. Daniel Stigliano, International Coordinator of Scholas Cátedras, shared his vision and experiences as a volunteer with the movement.
““All these spaces are dynamic, not static; they’re participatory. Everyone has the opportunity to take the microphone, be heard, express themselves, and ask questions,” he emphasized.
Following the conclusion of the conference, Dr. Stigliano emphasized that“I, for one, am leaving eager to continue exploring all the topics we discussed in greater depth and not to stop here—that is, we must view problems from the university’s perspective not merely as theoretical concepts, but with the mindset that the university can be a key to helping society find solutions to its problems.”
For his part, Gerald Catero, a professor at Fordham University in New York, stated that he has been involved with the Scholas Congress since its inception, emphasizing that the event began as“a mustard seed and is now global—it’s all over the world.”
Regarding his experience on the Pan-American Highway, Gerald has described it as “wonderful,” since it gives him the opportunity to “get together with all my colleagues once again, share stories, and especially share the idea that the university is a bridgethat allows students not only to take classes at the university, but also to go out into the world and have wonderful experiences.”
Why choose the " Universidad Panamericana " as the venue?
Universidad Panamericana was one of the first five universities to join the Scholas network of chairs, which currently includes approximately 150 institutions. A year ago, invited Scholas to hold the conference in Mexico, which represents a unique opportunity to share experiences and knowledge in this country.
University of Meaning
During the opening ceremony of the Scholas Congress, the creation of the University of Meaning—approved by Pope Francis—was announced. Professor José María del Corral, Global Director and Founder of the Scholas Occurrentes Movement, shared the following:
“Just on the eve of the Congress, we have received the big news, officially announced yesterday by the Vatican. Pope Francis has signed the charter establishing the University of Meaning and has entrusted Scholas to all of us. Now it is up to us to live up to such trust and take on such responsibility. The theme of our conference began with the vision of a new university within the universities where we already are, but these days will undoubtedly also be a collaborative effort, a workshop that will help us dream together of the University of Meaning.”
Next Steps After the Scholas Conference on the Pan-American Highway
The next Scholas conference will be held in another country and at another university in one year. The main goal is to share and expand upon all the work done by the universities throughout the year. Scholas aims to help participants connect and collaborate on implementing the ideas and topics discussed at the conference, such as intergenerational dialogue, practical application in real-world contexts, and the contribution of innovation and technology generated at universities to society.
The Scholas Congress represents an important step toward higher education that is more attuned to the needs of society and that promotes universities' active engagement in solving global problems.
Message from Pope Francis
Following the conclusion of the Congress, the Holy Father issued the following message:
“To all of you working on this ‘Universidad del Sentido’ event organized by Scholas and the authorities of the ‘ Universidad Panamericana,’ I send you my greetings and my blessing. A good education—a true education—must be dynamic, and what you are doing here is being very active.”
Universidad Panamericana would like to thank the presenters, professors, and attendees for participating in the 8th Scholas Cátedras International Conference.
