An important task of JECSE is to build cooperation between schools in our European and Near East network. We are keen to be close to the staff of our schools, their needs and expectations, to learn about their challenges and to help them respond to them together. After a pandemic break, we are trying to intensify visits to our schools again.

We are grateful for all the invitations and the opportunity for valuable meetings in different countries. They help us to share our common mission, to build and strengthen the different areas of our co-operation and to develop new formation programmes, which we hope will serve our whole network.

We would like to thank the Education Delegates who made it possible for us to visit the various provinces and meet the staff of our schools. We would also like to thank the school staff for their warm welcome and the opportunity to meet and share experiences:

Belgium South – February 2023

The JECSE Director met in Namure with the region’s Education Delegate Mr Thomas Debrux and the Coordination des Collèges et Écoles Jésuites (Coceje) staff members. We were invited to a meeting of members of the School Boards, which took place in the Collège Notre-Dame de la Paix (Erpent).

The meeting in Southern Belgium was also an opportunity to visit three amazing schools: Collège Matteo Ricci (Brussels), Centre Scolaire Saint-Michel (Brussels) and Institut D’Enseignement Technique de Notre Dame (Charleroi).

During the visits we discuss among others about innovative formation projects and the challenges of vocational education.

February/March 2023 –  Spain

At the end of February/beginning of March JECSE executive team members had a chance to spent some time in Spain.

Thanks to the hospitality of the Educsi, SAFA and Loyola Foundations, we were able to talk about the educational projects carried out by such a great schools as: Colegio Ntra. Sra. de Montesión (Palma de Mallorca), Colegio Inmaculado Corazón de María – Portaceli (Seville), EE.PP. SAFA Blanca Paloma (Seville), Colegio Nuestra Señora del Recuerdo (Madrid) and Colegio y Centro de Formación Padre Piquer (Madrid).

We would also like to thank for the opportunity to meet and exchange with the staff of the SAFA foundation, during which we learnt about the mission of this organisation and were able to be inspired by many valuable organisational solutions, as well as discussing the challenges of Jesuit vocational education.

A special moment of the meetings in Spain was also the participation of our representative in the meeting of Erasmus+ project coordinators from the entire Spanish network of Jesuit schools. It was a great opportunity to talk about global education and global citizenship issues.

June 2023 – EUM – Italy – meeting with La Fondazione Gesuiti Educazione President, school visit: (Rome).

After Belgium South and Spain we decided to go to other parts of Europe as well. This time in June we took the direction of Rome. Our stay in the Italian capital was an opportunity to get to know one of the schools belonging to the Euro-Mediterranean Province: Massimiliano Massimo Institute.

The JECSE Director had the unique opportunity not only to meet the Education Delegate Fr Claudio Baretta SJ, and the General Director of the school, Fr Nicola Bordogna SJ, but also to take part in special meetings with all the Directors of the different school levels and the coordinators responsible for the various aspects of formation and education. We have talked about the protection of minors, global citizenship, innovation in education, staff formation, pastoral care, communication in Jesuit schools and many other important topics. It was a very rich and inspiring meeting. There was also an opportunity to tour the school building and see the newly built sports hall.

June 2023 – Poland 

Following the meetings in Rome, we had the pleasure of hosting the representatives of the Jesuit School Network in Poland. The meeting was an opportunity to discuss issues concerning the intensification of inter-regional cooperation and to plan joint activities for the future. At the same time, we visited the Polish Jesuit schools in Krakow: Kostka Publiczne Liceum Ogólnokształcące Jezuitów im. św. Stanisława Kostki and Nowy Sącz: Jezuickie Centrum Edukacji (JCE) w Nowym Sączu. While visiting the JCE we also had the opportunity to meet with the Polish Delegate for Education Fr Paweł Brożyniak SJ.

June 2023 – The Great Britain 

The last but not the least JECSE visit this school year took place in the UK. Our colleague Francisco had the unique opportunity to work with the British Education Delegate Dr John Stoer and a reflection team on Mission and Identity and Religious Education . The visit also allowed him to visit Wimbledon College (London) and Donhead Preparatory School (London).

Thank you once again for all those meetings. We hope that they will help us to identify and respond even better to the needs of each region.