Report of the VIII UISG-USG education seminar

Rome, 4 and 5 October 2019

On 4 and 5 October 2019, the VIII Seminar on the Formation of Educators was held in Rome, sponsored by the Education Commission of the Unions of Superior Generals (UISG-USG). The work took place in the General House of the Marist Brothers (Rome, EUR) in Piazzale Marcellino Champagnat 2.

With the theme "Innovating from the roots, with a sense: An approach to global citizenship from the Catholic school", the seminar tackled the important question of educational innovation, from the perspective of the identifying educational elements of each institution. The objectives: 

• To strengthen the innovative approach of the Catholic School from its Christian identity.
• To reflect on the guarantee conditions for developing meaningful educational innovation.
• To dialogue on the right questions and the necessary steps that institutions must address to meet their strategic challenges.
• To analyze the keys of an innovation that contributes to promote and differentiate the Catholic School: sustainability, significance, quality... Making explicit the added value of the Catholic School.
• To develop a joint document on the topic of the seminar that will reflect the contributions of the different dynamics and that, after its corresponding review, can feed the reflection in institutions and schools The Seminar was opened by Rev. Pedro Aguado, S.P., Coordinator of the UISG-USG Education Commission, who with his intervention "Innovating with meaning" centered the theme of the meeting.

The Seminar was directed by Prof. Augusto Ibañez, Corporate Director of Education of the Fundación Santa María (SM); Ms. Mayte Ortiz, Corporate Manager of Educational Solutions of SM, and Mr. Adolfo Silloniz, Global Manager of Relations with the Catholic School, of SM, as facilitators. Rev. Samson Ehemba, S.P., member of the Gravissimun Educationis Foundation and working in Senegal, also attended as a speaker.

The number of participants in the Seminar was 94 people, including religious and other lay people, belonging to 42 Congregations and Religious Institutions. In the case of the laity, they held managerial positions in centers of these Congregations.

The event was closed with a Eucharist presided over by Archbishop Angelo Vicenzo Zani and words of thanks from Fr. Pedro Aguado.

The presentations of the Seminar, the dynamics and the work carried out were collected in a report "Innovating from the roots, with a meaning: An approach to global citizenship from the Catholic school", prepared by Professor Augusto Ibáñez, Mayte Ortíz and Pablo Romero of SM.

Here you can download the report of the seminar sponsored by the Education Commission of the Unions of Superior Generals (UISG-USG)

(in spanish language)