On a screen bringing together different time zones, languages and accents, the fifth global meeting of university rectors organised by Uniservitate confirmed that higher education can foster fraternity on a global scale. On Wednesday 15th April, more than 90 participants from 72 Catholic higher education institutions across 36 countries gathered virtually to share not only ideas, but also a palpable sense of gratitude and belonging.
The meeting, which was opened and welcomed by María Rosa Tapia, coordinator of the Uniservitate global network, continued along a path that began with the network’s creation and has been further developed in recent events, such as the meeting of rectors held last November as part of the 6th Uniservitate Symposium in Eichstätt, Germany. This time, the focus was on two key areas for the future of Uniservitate: the governance and sustainability of a network, initiated by Porticus and managed by CLAYSS, which now encompasses 617 Catholic higher education institutions across the globe.
The meeting began with a moment of prayer, led by Andrés Peregalli, vice-coordinator of Uniservitate, which symbolically united the global community: the participants prayed the same prayer shared days earlier by students from Bethlehem University during the Uniservitate World Prayer. This was followed by a video message prepared especially for the occasion by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See, which provided an inspiring framework for shared reflection. Further details on this message can be found elsewhere in this newsletter.
In this context, María Rosa Tapia outlined the current situation and challenges, emphasising the need to move towards a more representative and collaborative model of governance. Among the proposals under consideration were models of rotating leadership, regional consortia and more decentralised coordination schemes, in line with the network’s growth and diversity.
The subsequent open and participatory discussion confirmed the richness of this pluralism. Rectors and authorities from different regions contributed ideas that combined theoretical foundations with practical experience: ranging from the possibility of adopting models of ‘networked administrative organisations’ to the importance of strengthening joint research, sharing resources and expanding opportunities for service-learning.
Sustainability, for its part, emerged as a challenge inextricably linked to the network’s identity. Discussions centred on funding strategies, membership schemes tailored to diverse contexts and, above all, the need to further embed service-learning within universities. In this vein, ongoing initiatives were announced, such as the Uniservitate 2026 Award and a pilot edition of a Global Diploma in service-learning, initially aimed at regional teams.
Beyond the content, what set the meeting apart was its tone. In every presentation—from Latin America to Asia, from Africa to Europe—words such as “gratitude”, “inspiration” and “commitment” were repeated. Vice-chancellors from recently joined universities shared how Uniservitate drives training processes and community engagement within their institutions; others highlighted the value of the network in fostering partnerships, joint research and spaces for collaboration.
The contributions gathered on a virtual collaborative wall reinforced this collective perception: more inclusive and decentralised structures were proposed, the importance of international collaboration was emphasised, and the transformative impact of service-learning on students and communities was highlighted. “The network allows us to achieve together what we could not achieve separately,” summarised one of the participants.
Towards the end, María Rosa Tapia informed the authorities present that a letter of intent would be sent to them to continue strengthening the network, in a gesture of shared responsibility that reflects the current phase Uniservitate is going through: the transition to a new stage, in which the process of building the network will be increasingly shared. This letter of intent will be accompanied by an institutional form to evaluate actions taken and to receive ideas and suggestions for the future of the global network, which is expected to be returned by 1st May.
In times marked by global uncertainty, the meeting left one certainty: when universities recognise themselves as part of a wider community, capable of learning, serving and building together, education becomes a true ‘constellation’ of hope.