Leaders of more than 40 Catholic higher education institutions participating in the Uniservitate global network attended the fourth « Meeting of Rectors » held on 7th November in a hybrid format at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in Germany.
María Rosa Tapia and Andrés Peregalli —coordinator and vice-coordinator of this global programme, respectively— moderated the discussion, which took place during the VI Uniservitate Global Symposium. Participants online included representatives from institutions across five continents; in addition, university authorities from Asia and Oceania, and Central & Eastern Europe and the Middle East hubs attended in person in Eichstätt. In turn, Gabriele Gien and Klaus Stüwe, rector and vice-rector of the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, were the hosts.
The director of CLAYSS, Nieves Tapia, and the president of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU), Father Francisco Ramírez, also joined the event from their respective countries.
Nieves Tapia highlighted that service-learning is currently experiencing a global « momentum, » emphasizing both UNESCO’s and the Church’s growing acknowledgement, particularly through the Global Compact on Education and the recent Apostolic Letter Drawing Maps of Hope by Pope Leo XIV, where it is explicitly mentioned. She emphasized that this pedagogy is vital for preparing students to collaborate effectively, address complex challenges, and apply their knowledge to real-world situations—skills that are indispensable for navigating the demands of the digital age. In addition, she thanked the university rectors for their engagement, as their role is decisive to ensure that service-learning is part of the institutional policy, and confirmed that the Uniservitate community has become strong, showing the real effect of this approach. Finally, she asked the audience to support the network in its consolidation process and to ensure its future sustainability.
Regarding Father Ramírez Yáñez, he delivered a brief but profound reflection on the university’s role in a fragile world. He suggested universities should be responsible for: making each educational institution a laboratory of hope, restoring the social fabric through dialogue, and being aware of vulnerability. He also praised Uniservitate, because « now [it] shines with its own light thanks to its efforts, » and added that the service-learning promoted by this Global Network is « more than a methodology; it is already a pedagogy of hope. »
Afterwards, the university authorities exchanged experiences and discussed the different ways to promote service-learning in their institutions, as well as their connection with the Uniservitate programme. To reflect on the programme’s transition towards a global network, the rectors shared their ideas on a collaborative wall, where they answered questions, such as « What can you find in Uniservitate? » and « What can you contribute to the sustainability of Uniservitate? »:
« We are better when we work as a network, establishing ties of collaboration and friendship, » said the representative of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. He added that they consider Uniservitate « a place to grow as a university, based on the service-learning initiatives and successful practices carried out by our colleagues in other countries: concepts, strategies, tools. » Additionally, the representative of the Catholic University of Louvain stated that they see Uniservitate as « a strong vision and a bottom-up community. » He also regarded « the link with the identity and mission of [their] universities » to be key, and described their collaborative dialogue as « very motivating. » Meanwhile, the rector of the University of Deusto, Juan José Etxeberria, said that « Uniservitate is for Deusto a landmark, a source of specialized knowledge and information, and mainly a global network and platform to validate, share and promote service-learning initiatives. »
This was the fourth meeting of rectors since the programme launch. The first one took place in November 2022 in person in Rome, with 20 participants, as part of the III Uniservitate Global Symposium. The second one was celebrated online in March 2024, with 44 representatives from partner universities and international associations that worked in close collaboration. In November 2024, the third meeting was held, this time in person, during the V Uniservitate Global Symposium. On that occasion, the venue was the offices of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, where the Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça welcomed over thirty rectors. In that meeting, he reinforced the importance of networking: « In addition to the fundamental theoretical reflection, the action that encourages us to open up to others and work in a network is also important. The Uniservitate network is an example of an educational alliance, concerned with the richness of each people’s cultural diversity. »
To view the recording of the rectors’ meeting during the VI Uniservitate Global Symposium, click here.
