Jesuit Education
Jesuit higher education has its roots in the 16th century, when St Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, emphasised the importance of education in serving faith and promoting justice. The first Jesuit school was opened in 1548 in Messina, Sicily, and soon after, the Jesuits established a global network of colleges and universities. Jesuit Education - first of all - was offered to those who couldn't afford school tuition. Reaching out to the poor and marginalised has been a core value since the time of the early Jesuits. For almost 500 years, Jesuit higher education institutions have combined rigorous academic training with spiritual and moral formation, aiming to educate the whole person-mind, body, and soul.
Educating men and women for others is at the heart of Jesuit education, emphasising the formation of individuals who are not only intellectually competent but also deeply compassionate and committed to justice.
This vision calls students to look beyond personal success and strive to serve the common good, especially the needs of the poor and marginalised. Jesuit education aims to shape leaders who use their talents to make a positive difference in the world. It is an education that inspires action, grounded in the belief that true knowledge is not only about understanding, but about serving others with love and integrity.
At JWL, we form critical global citizens—individuals who think deeply, act with purpose, and envision a more just and equitable world. Our students already live in the richness of diversity and face the challenges of a globalised world on a daily basis. We equip them with the knowledge and skills to question, to dream, and to lead. In our classrooms, connected across borders, they grow not only as learners, but as changemakers committed to building a future where all can thrive. Through our programmes and unique delivery model, they ultimately learn to engage in an interconnected world, to critically question and transform it, leading with courage, vision, and a deep commitment to the common good.
Key elements of Jesuit pedagogy, deeply rooted in Ignatian spirituality, are essential to the success of blended learning. Central to this approach is reflection, which enables learners to make meaning of their experiences and grow personally and intellectually. Equally important is accompaniment (cura personalis) – the personalised care and guidance offered by facilitators and peers. This accompaniment is not solitary; it happens in community, through learning together, where mutual support and shared growth foster transformation. Guided by the vision of 'learning together to transform the world', Jesuit pedagogy shapes learners into thoughtful, compassionate, and socially responsible individuals.
All JWL courses are designed around five core elements of Jesuit pedagogy:
Start by understanding the learner's background, environment, and needs.
Engage learners with real-world content to ground learning in experience.
Encourage reflection to connect experiences with deeper values.
Support action by applying learning to create positive change.
Use ongoing evaluation to track academic and personal growth.
"A university of the Society of Jesus is called to discover and interact with the margins of society. As a plural space fostering dialogue and deep understanding of historical, personal and intellectual processes, the university is a privileged space for the exercise of human freedom, freedom to seek and to find, through research and teaching, paths of social transformation.
We can also expand and share our programmes by creating global platforms to share resources, insights, and collaborative initiatives. Let us take advantage of the potential of virtual learning and digital tools, including artificial intelligence, to extend the reach of our formation efforts into every corner of our institutions."
Fr Arturo Sosa, SJ, Superior General, Society of Jesus, addressing IAJU, 1 July 2025
JWL's mission to provide higher education at the margins is only possible through strategic partnerships within the global Jesuit network and with other mission-aligned organisations. A work of the Central European Province of the Jesuits, JWL reaches students in some of the world's most challenging contexts through deep collaboration with Jesuit universities that share academic resources and expertise, and with Jesuit provinces, organisations, and communities that have lived and worked alongside marginalised populations for centuries.
These long-standing commitments to justice and accompaniment form the foundation of our work, ensuring that education is not only accessible but also rooted in the lived realities and dignity of the people we serve.
