By Fr Marcelo Farfán
General Coordinator, IUS
For his part, Fr Fabio Attard, General Councillor for Youth Ministry, focused his attention on the change of paradigm which the recent Synod on Youth implies for the Church, and hence for Salesian institutions. Synodality and discernment as method and content are certainly the great challenges for a Youth Ministry that looks to the future.
The Executive Council of IUS was also able to follow up development of the “Common Program 5” and Common Continental Programs. Particular emphasis was placed on evaluating how the document on guidelines for ministry in IUS has been applied, on a course for the principal leaders/directors of institutes of higher education, and on preparation for the next General Assembly to be held in 2021.
Specific reflection was given to the “IUS Education Group” and other networks emerging especially in Latin America (on topics like interculturality, artifical intelligence, psychology and business administration). At the same time the experience of the IUS web portal was evaluated, confirming the need to give it greater energy, visibility and communicative capacity.
Much appreciated was the setting in place of a formation experience for IUS leaders from America, Europe and Africa. The course offered a global perspective on the opportunities and challenges demanded by the current higher education context; it suggested basic understandings, criteria and tools for guiding and managing higher education institutes and at the same time, there was room for strengthening relationships of cooperation as a IUS network. A course is being prepared for the near future for IUS leaders from Asia.
Finally, the Council also indicated the path toward preparations and possible topics for the coming General Assembly in 2021.
