8 Years of MAGIS Exchange
A Message from the Secretary for Higher Education
Dear Friends,
We have successfully completed eight years of the Magis Exchange Program, an important initiative of the International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) dedicated to forming students as global citizens.
Launched at the 2018 IAJU Assembly, Magis Exchange has provided students from Jesuit institutions around the world with opportunities to study across borders, cultures, and academic contexts. More than an academic mobility program, it embodies our shared commitment to forming young people as global citizens, prepared to engage thoughtfully and responsibly with the social and environmental challenges of our time.
Since its inception, the program has brought together 42 Jesuit universities and enabled more than 200 students to participate in 12 cohorts. This accomplishment has been possible thanks to the sustained commitment and collaboration of many individuals and institutions: the universities that have joined the network, the liaisons who have accompanied students and coordinated the exchanges, the faculty members who have contributed to the Global Environmental Citizenship Course, and the Task Force that has provided vision and guidance for the program's growth.
On behalf of the Society of Jesus and the IAJU, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to all who have contributed to this shared endeavour. In a special way, I would like to thank Universidad Loyola Andalucía and the conveners of the program—Mr. Francisco de Borja Martín Garrido, Mr. Ignacio Garrido Cruz, and their colleagues—for their generous dedication in coordinating, nurturing, strengthening, and expanding Magis Exchange over its first eight years.
I am also deeply grateful to Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá for accepting the responsibility of coordinating the Magis Exchange Program in its next stage of development. We look forward to the continued growth of this initiative in the service of forming global citizens committed to justice, reconciliation, and care for our common home.
With best wishes,
Fr. Joseph Christie, SJ
Secretary for Higher Education Society of Jesus
Rome
Significant Achievements
42 Participating Institutions
In the past eight years, the MAGIS Exchange program has impacted the lives of people all around the globe. They have operated in six regions worldwide, with a total global network of 42 Jesuit universities.
Through this collaboration, the program has trained 207 students on important topics such as the Replicable Global Environmental Citizenship Course (GECC). Through this course and other similar ones, the MAGIS Exchange program has helped students learn solidarity over strict reciprocity as a guiding principle, and has aided universities who previously had limited global exposure to become more internationalized.
If this resonates with your institution, reach out at magisexchange.org.
There's a place for your students in this network.
A Transformative Student Experience
MAGIS Exchange participants from around the world shared their experiences on how the program impacted their education and life. Here are a few of their stories.
My name is Claudia María Chávez, I am from El Salvador, and I study Computer Engineering. I had the opportunity to be part of the Magis program and went on exchange to Universidad Rafael Landívar in Guatemala.
My volunteer work was a life-changing experience. I had the chance to be part of the Jesuit Refugee Service, and it was truly incredible to have the opportunity to be an agent of change through living and sharing with each of the migrants.
During my exchange, I learned that being present and truly listening can change lives, including my own. Every conversation, every glance, and every shared silence reminded me of the power of empathy. Each encounter was a lesson, and every story a call to act with heart, to engage with others through humanity and compassion.
It was then that I understood: transforming the world begins by allowing ourselves to be transformed by it. Throughout my experience, gratitude and admiration were always present towards my fellow cohort members and the people of Guatemala.
This experience has broadened my understanding of diversity within educational environments and the overall university experience. One notable difference I've observed is the student body's strong emphasis on the practical aspects of studies, work experience, and extracurricular activities. Moreover, the academic environment is exceptionally conducive to learning.
The service learning experience enabled me to collaborate with a government organization on a development project aimed at empowering abused women and children.
Additionally, for my final project on global environmental citizenship, I focused on understanding the culture and daily lives of indigenous tribes, exploring ways to integrate their wisdom into contemporary society. Personally, I've experienced significant growth.
From managing the stress of challenging situations while alone in a foreign country to networking with people from diverse backgrounds, embarking on cultural immersion trips to learn about indigenous communities, and mastering the art of budgeting and independent living, this journey has equipped me with invaluable life skills.
Cohort 6; From XIM University to Creighton University
Cohort 2; From Pontificia Universidad Javeriana to Hekima University College
When something is meant for you, nothing and no one can take it away.
I like to say that Kenya chose me.
Going to Kenya wasn't just a decision, it was an act of faith. Some people expressed concern, influenced by media headlines or social stereotypes. But I felt an unshakeable peace. I knew it was God who was sending me, and when God sends, He also provides.
Kenya was a place that made me fall in love with life again. It taught me a new way of understanding love, not just as a feeling, but as something alive in the everyday: care, respect, honesty, and mutual support. I met people who welcomed me like family, who listened with open hearts, who lived with simplicity and purpose. Through them, I encountered the sacred.
I arrived with a clear desire: to serve my country, to build bridges between people and ideas, and to help create community beyond borders. In Kenya, that desire became a life calling. I realized how deeply Africa and Latin America are connected, through shared histories of struggle, resistance, and hope. And in that mirror, my dreams grew larger.
This journey transformed me. It reminded me that faith is not passive. It's about courageously stepping into the unknown, trusting that god will meet you there. And He did. In every detail. In every face. In every quiet moment of awe.
This exchange wasn't just a trip. It was a miracle. A small piece of God's dream for my life. And now I carry it with me, in who I am, and in who I am becoming.
"Arise and shine, for the glory of God shines upon you!" Isaiah 60:1
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