Staff and professors from Madagascar Jesuit Higher Education Institutions in their meeting at Antananarivo, Collège Saint Michel Amparibe
EDITOR’S NOTE: Report from Fr Hilarion Rakotoarison,SJ. Director of SJ Institute in Bevalala.
Following the spirit of “Transforming Our World Together” of the Conference of International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) in Bilbao in July 2018, 114 professors and staffs of our Jesuit institutes and colleges in Madagascar gathered together in Antananarivo, Collège Saint Michel Amparibe, In January 18, 2019. The meeting was focused on revitalizing the ignacian pedagogy for intellectual apostolate in Madagascar, reinforcing the togetherness and enhancing the collaboration among our institutes and colleges in becoming progressively University Magis (U-Magis). For instance, U-Magis is formed by seven institutes and colleges located in four sites including the Etablissement Technique Supérieure (ETS) in Amparibe, Ecole Supérieure de l’Information et de la Communication (SAMIS-ESIC) in Amparibe, Ecole Professionnelle Supérieure Agricole (EPSA) in Bevalala, Ecole Supérieure de Bâtiments et de Travaux Publiques (ESBTP) in Bevalala, Philosophat Saint Paul (PSP) in Tsaramasoandro, Institut Technique Supérieur François Xavier (ITSFX) in Antady, and Institut Technique Supérieur Agricole (ITSA) in Antady.
Five themes were treated during the meeting. Firstly, Jacques Mananto S.J. introduced how the “U-Magis Project” will develop and fit to the IAJU structure. Secondly, Jean de Dieu Randrianaivo S.J. showed that characteristics of Jesuit education are universal for Jesuit higher education. Thirdly, Hilaroin Rakotoarison S.J. presented and discussed the Charter of IAJU newly adopted in Bilbao. Forthly, Jacques Randrianary S.J. presented what Father General, Arturo Sosa, want to emphasize at Loyola during the Conference of IAJU on July 2019. Last but not least, Professors Jean de Dieu Randianasolo and Paul Ralahady showed how professors and students in our universities must make together an effort to take advantage of the educational system Licence-Master-Doctorat (LMD) established in Madagascar.
At the end of the meeting, participants were sent with enthusiasm to work in the field of the Lord keeping in mind the jubilee celebrations of ETS (35 years), EPSA and ITSFX (25 years), and PSP (20 years) that we will celebrate in Bevalala on May 22-25, 2019.