CUC Representatives at the 28th IFCU General Assembly in Mexico

The 28th General Assembly of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU) was held from 28 July to 1 August 2025 at the Catholic University of Valle de Atemajac (UNIVA) in Guadalajara, Mexico. This gathering, one of the most significant events for reflection and joint action among Catholic higher education institutions worldwide, brought together rectors, vice-rectors, representatives of Catholic universities from five continents, members of academic communities, the Church, and international experts. The program included lectures, panel discussions, round tables, workshops, and strategic meetings where participants explored the future of knowledge, university governance, educational innovation, and the universities’ commitment to social justice.

Representing the Catholic University of Croatia (CUC) were Rector Prof. Željko Tanjić, Ph.D., and Vice-Rector for International Cooperation Prof. Jasna Ćurković Nimac, Ph.D. Rector Tanjić also participated as a member of the IFCU Board of Administration, elected on behalf of European Catholic universities for two terms.

Participants of the Assembly reflected on the theme “Catholic Universities as Choreographers of Knowledge” with an emphasis on the role of Catholic universities as active agents in creating, articulating, and promoting knowledge—in constant dialogue with contemporary realities, cultural transformations, and global challenges.

At the formal opening, welcome addresses were delivered by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See; Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega, Archbishop of Guadalajara; UNIVA Rector Francisco Ramírez Yáñez; IFCU President Prof. Isabel Capeloa Gil, Ph.D.; and IFCU Secretary General Dr. François Mabille.

Distinguished guests included Horacio Fernández Castillo, Secretary for Innovation, Science, and Technology of the State of Jalisco; Mons. Carlo Maria Polvani, Secretary of the Dicastery for Culture and Education; Archbishop Stephen Vincent Kelly, Secretary General of the Gravissimum Educationis Foundation; Archbishop Alfonso Cortés Contreras of León, responsible for education and culture and official delegate of the Mexican Bishops’ Conference (CEM); Archbishop Joseph Spiteri, Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico; and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See.

Archbishop Gallagher delivered a keynote address on academic diplomacy, highlighting the potential of Catholic universities as active players on the international stage:
“In these turbulent times marked by conflict and war, divisions and mistrust, universities are called to reaffirm their mission as builders of peace, collaborators in building bridges of understanding among cultures, religions, and scientific disciplines.” He defined “academic diplomacy” as a key instrument for dialogue among nations and fields of knowledge.

Pope Leo XIV also addressed the participants, stating among other things:
“The university environment, with its distinctive dialogue among worldviews, is not foreign to the being and mission of the Church. [...] Dear brothers and sisters, may Christ-Wisdom—the Truth that became Person and draws the world to Himself—be the compass that guides universities, and may His knowledge imbued with love become the driving force of a new evangelization within Catholic higher education.”

The second day of the Assembly focused on collaboration among universities, government, and business as the foundation for educational and social innovation. Presentations and panels emphasized Catholic universities’ strong commitment to building networks that support sustainable educational innovation in the spirit of social responsibility and IFCU’s values. Topics included “The Catholic University as a Driver of Social Impact,” “Catholic Universities and the Business World,” “Funding Catholic Universities in the Ibero-American World,” “Catholic Universities and the Global Compact on Education,” “The Amazon and Laudato Si’,” “The Catholic University: A Place of Creativity and Knowledge,” “The Challenge of Preserving Academic Freedom,” and more.

On Wednesday, 30 July, Rector Tanjić moderated a round table dedicated to exploring the unique role of Catholic universities in connecting living faith with contemporary cultures. Panelists included Prof. Hernán Santos, Rector of Bethlehem University (Palestine); Prof. Pedro Rubens Ferreira de Oliveira, Rector of the Catholic University of Pernambuco (Brazil); and Prof. Gilbert B. Sales, Rector of Saint Louis University, Baguio (Philippines). In a time marked by religious pluralism, identity tensions, and secular tendencies, speakers from Palestine, Brazil, and the Philippines emphasized that Catholic universities can be spaces of dialogue between spiritual traditions and contemporary issues, places of integral education uniting knowledge and faith, and bearers of peace and mutual recognition in often fragmented societies.

On the fourth day, Francisco Ramírez Yáñez, Rector of UNIVA, was elected the new President of IFCU, along with a new Board of Administration. The 29th General Assembly will take place in 2028 at the Catholic University of Lisbon.

The program also included a rich cultural and spiritual component, with participants gathering daily for the celebration of the Holy Mass. The opening Mass was presided over by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See.

Reflecting on the experience, Rector Tanjić stated:
“The General Assembly demonstrated through our encounters and discussions that universities are not merely transmitters of knowledge and content to our students but, as the title of the Assembly itself suggests, are called to choreograph knowledge: to create new synergies, connections, and movements that integrate Catholic identity, ethics, spirituality, and social responsibility into the education of students. It is worth highlighting that we had the opportunity to meet with many rectors and university representatives, to exchange experiences, and to extend an invitation to European Catholic university rectors to visit Zagreb for the General Assembly of the European Federation of Catholic Universities, which will take place at our University from 20 to 22 May 2026.”

The International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU) was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Paris. It brings together more than 200 Catholic higher education institutions worldwide.