Unlocking the Power of the Oceans

 

 

June 18 at 2:00 PM (GMT+9, Japan time)
Portugal Pavilion, EXPO 2025, Osaka, Japan
Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87883639572

 

Universidade Católica Portuguesa, in collaboration with Sophia University, is organizing the seminar “Unlocking the Power of the Oceans”,  which will explore the multifaceted significance of the oceans from both practical and symbolic perspectives. Scholars and experts will engage in an interdisciplinary dialogue, addressing the sea as a source of economic potential, environmental sustainability, and technological innovation, while also examining its social impact through cultural, artistic, and symbolic representations.

On the same occasion, the exhibition “Poetry as an Echological Survival” by artist Nuno da Luz, curated by Nuno Crespo (School of the Arts, Universidade Católica Portuguesa), will be inaugurated.

 

Click  here to see the program

Rector Elena Beccalli Elected as New President of FUCE

 

 

Today, June 6, 2025, Professor Elena Beccalli has been elected as the new President of the European Federation of Catholic Universities (FUCE) for the 2025–2028 term, by the General Assembly hosted by KU Leuven and UC Louvain.

The election of Prof. Elena Beccalli, Rector of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and SACRU Vice President since July 1, 2024, marks a meaningful step in the development of Catholic higher education and for the SACRU network, which benefits from her representation on the Governing Board. Her appointment further strengthens SACRU’s presence within the global and European Catholic academic community.

The European Federation of Catholic Universities (FUCE) was established in 1991 with the aim of offering a renewed contribution to the Catholic university network, building on the momentum of European integration, which was then nearing the formation of the European Union. It brings together Catholic universities across Europe and Lebanon.

Before her appointment as Rector of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Professor Beccalli served as Dean of the Faculty of Banking, Finance and Insurance Sciences. A renowned expert, she explores the banking sector from an industrial organization perspective, addressing technology, efficiency, cooperation, and financial biodiversity, with a particular focus on the social, ethical and environmental impact and women’s leadership.

 

Fr. Anderson Pedroso SJ Elected as New President of ODUCAL

 

 

On June 5, 2025, Father Anderson Antonio Pedroso SJ was elected as the new President of the Organization of Catholic Universities of Latin America and the Caribbean (ODUCAL) for the 2025–2028 term.

The election of Fr. Anderson Antonio Pedroso SJ, Rector of Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro since June 30, 2022, represents a significant step in the development of Catholic higher education and for the SACRU network, which benefits from his representation on the Governing Board. His leadership will contribute to further enhancing SACRU’s engagement across the Latin American academic landscape.

The Organization of Catholic Universities of Latin America and the Caribbean (ODUCAL) is one of the Regional Associations of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU). Its mission is to contribute to the advancement of Catholic higher education in Latin America through collaborative actions aimed at improving the quality of teaching, research, and service to society, while also fostering the core mission of proclaiming the Gospel and serving as a space for dialogue between faith and culture.

Fr. Anderson Pedroso holds a Ph.D. in Art History and a Master’s Degree in Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art from the University of Sorbonne. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Theology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy from the University of the Sacred Heart in Bauru, Brazil.

 

 

Statement on the Election of Pope Leo XIV

 

The Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities (SACRU) welcomes with joy and commitment the election of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. At a time when humanity faces profound social, environmental, and geopolitical challenges, this new Pontificate offers a sign of spiritual renewal and hope. We offer our heartfelt prayers for the Holy Father and entrust to his guidance the journey of the Church and the global Catholic academic community.

Inspired by his election, the Alliance wishes to reaffirm its dedication to advancing higher education, interdisciplinary research, and intercultural dialogue in service to society and the Church. We also express our deep gratitude to His Holiness Pope Francis, whose Pontificate has left a lasting imprint on our mission. His appeals for ecological responsibility, solidarity with the most vulnerable, and a culture of dialogue have profoundly shaped the vision of Catholic universities.

 

Zlatko Skrbis, SACRU President
Pier Sandro Cocconcelli, SACRU Secretary General

Reflections on United Nations SDGs:
n.17 Partnerships to achieve the goals

The Australian Catholic University has realized this insight through an article written by Jen Azordegan, Manager of Community-Engaged Learning, and a video by Isabella Taffa, Bachelor of Nursing student, and Durga Sharma, Bachelor of Biomedical Science student

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 with the goal of providing a path for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. The core of the Agenda is represented by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which represent an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership to adopt strategies that aim to end poverty and other deprivations, improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth. The Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities is collecting insights from SACRU experts and students on the SDGs. This contribution is by the Australian Catholic University on SDG n17: Partnerships to achieve the goals.

Fostering Global Partnerships for the Greater Good

Written by Jen Azordegan, Manager – Community-Engaged Learning, ACU Engagement, ACU

Partnerships are an essential approach to SDG impact, as highlighted by Goal 17. They affirm the fundamental interconnectedness in our global and local communities and are key to understanding – and collaboratively addressing – the root causes of complex problems in society.

In this spirit of fraternity, partnership, and collaboration, Australian Catholic University (ACU) hosted the 2024 Conference of the Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU). The event brought together over 200 academic leaders, faculty, and students from more than 40 institutions throughout the region to foster international collaboration and discuss topics such as community engagement, sustainable development, and climate change.

Amongst the many meaningful cross-cultural and institutional exchanges of the event was a keynote panel focused on service-learning. Best-practice service-learning is grounded in reciprocal partnerships, honours subsidiarity, and results in transformation for both students and community. The panel promoted exchange between leaders and students regarding these aims, with representatives from four universities outlining how they engage in community partnerships as part of their service-learning programs. Students shared their personal stories of service-learning impact whilst leaders discussed the institutional structure needed to support community partnerships and community-embedded learning experiences. The session also highlighted the role of international networks (e.g., SACRU, ASEACCU, Uniservitate, etc.) in helping like-minded universities to systematically collaborate and exchange practices in relation to community engagement.

For ACU, the ASEACCU event combined our commitment to forming international collaborations to address global challenges with our dedication to embedding high-quality service-learning across our undergraduate curriculum. ACU partners with over eighty community and nonprofit organisations annually to work across multiple SDGs through its service-learning program; a program aimed at ultimately forming community-minded graduates able to engage critically with social issues and work with community in ways that recognise the dignity of the human person and progress the common good.

 

New SACRU Working Group explores the impact of
Faith and Spirituality in University Life

The initiative reflects SACRU’s ongoing commitment to fostering dialogue and collaboration around themes that are central to the human experience and the mission of higher education

How do faith and spirituality influence university life? Are these dimensions sufficiently considered to allow an entire area of knowledge to emerge? Are they relevant only to Catholic, Christian, or other faith-based universities, or to all institutions of higher education? And ultimately, is this line of research of interest to society as a whole? To address these questions, SACRU has established the Working Group on the Personal and Social Impact of Formative Proposals Related to Faith and Spirituality in Higher Education.

The group will explore how spiritual and religious dimensions can enrich university life—not only within faith-based institutions, but across the entire higher education landscape. In particular, the WG will focus on key areas such as campus life and atmosphere, students’ sense of meaning and purpose in their studies and the broader social impact of integrating spirituality into academic contexts.

 

Embracing vulnerability to eliminate stigma:
the message of SACRU to healthcare institutions


An international roundtable among young researchers to redefine the role of care.On April 7, in Rome, the event promoted by SACRU invited institutions to recognize vulnerability as an essential part of the human experience and integral development

 

Vulnerability is not an exception, but a fundamental dimension of the human experience. It does not represent a limitation, but rather a strength that unites people and calls for responsibility. Trust is rooted precisely in vulnerability: to ask for care is to seek relationships capable of embracing fragility. From this awareness, the research seminar organized by SACRU, the global network of Catholic universities, issued a call to institutions: creating spaces where people can be vulnerable in safety, within an atmosphere of trust, is essential to promoting authentic human development.

The event, held on Monday, April 7, in conjunction with the Jubilee for the Sick and the Healthcare World, took place at the Rome campus of Australian Catholic University in the presence of the designated Australian Ambassador to the Holy See, Hon. Keith Pitt. Doctoral students from seven universities within the SACRU network took part in the seminar, presenting their research on the concept of vulnerability and care, and exploring the meaning and implications of this vital connection.

The initiative marked the culmination of a journey launched in 2024, during which the doctoral students selected by SACRU Working Group on Vulnerability had the opportunity to engage with one another on their respective research projects. These explore a wide range of topics: from vaccine trials in developing countries to physician-assisted suicide, from prenatal genetic testing to interreligious dialogue on healthcare in conflict zones, from the boundaries of environmental ethics to the history of monastic medicine, from Aristotelian and Thomistic conceptions of virtue to social and ecological justice in residential care facilities for the elderly. This genuinely multidisciplinary approach perfectly reflects SACRU mission: placing higher education at the service of the Common Good by shaping new generations with a strong ethical foundation and by promoting research that generates meaningful impact on society.

The session opened with remarks from David Kirchhoffer, Director of the Queensland Bioethics Centre at the Australian Catholic University and Chair of SACRU Working Group on Vulnerability: «Since the Covid-19 pandemic and the establishment of this Working Group, we have recognized the importance of placing vulnerability at the center of our reflection, within the framework of research conducted as Catholic universities. Our goal has been to actively engage SACRU academic community, particularly young researchers. This collaboration among doctoral students is the tangible expression of this commitment and provides a valuable opportunity for the exchange of ideas and best practices between academia, healthcare professionals, and institutional representatives».

This was followed by an address from Virginia Bourke, Pro-Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University and Chair of the Board of Mercy Health Australia, who emphasized the importance of strengthening research into the ethical meaning of vulnerability for healthcare and aged care agencies. In a fragmented and rapidly evolving regulatory environment, healthcare professionals face particularly complex challenges in supporting individuals through the most delicate phases of their lives. In this regard, Bourke noted how SACRU initiative succeeded in offering a shared orientation and language, contributing to the development of a coherent ethical framework that can provide concrete added value to the healthcare sector.

The conversation reached new depth during a roundtable animated by doctoral students Lachlan Green (Australian Catholic University), Dorothy Goehring (Boston College), Gabriel Vidal (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile), Jefferson da Silva Bellarmino (Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro), Joana Ramos (Universidade Católica Portuguesa), Enrico Frosio (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore), Aitana Juan Giner (Universitat Ramon Llull), and Geetanjali Rogers (Australian Catholic University).

Simona Beretta, Full Professor of Economic Policy at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and member of the Working Group on Vulnerability, contributed to the reflection: «With insights from multiple disciplines, the doctoral students shared research that interprets vulnerability not only as fragility, but as responsibility toward others. A principle of good coexistence, extending from interpersonal relationships to the organized forms of civil and political life, as exemplified by the image of the Good Samaritan who becomes vulnerable in his encounter with the wounded man, and by the encyclical Fratelli Tutti. The discussion emphasized the need to build spaces of trust, even institutional ones, where vulnerability becomes an opportunity for mutual growth and integral human development».

The session concluded with remarks by James Keenan, theologian and Vice Provost for Global Engagement at Boston College: «Vulnerability is a robust concept for healthcare ethics. Not only does it identify those who experience precarity but also those who are responsive; nurses, physicians and others are vulnerable (responsive) to those in need. But the responsive ones cannot be vulnerable to another experiencing precarity unless they allow themselves to be vulnerable to the ones they accompany. Vulnerability marks then a fundamental openness that has considerable relevance for our moment in time».

The panel also reaffirmed the value of international academic collaboration, as underlined by Pier Sandro Cocconcelli, Secretary General of SACRU and Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore: «In a global context marked by deep inequalities and growing mistrust in science, today’s panel demonstrates how academic research can once again place human dignity at the center and make a concrete contribution to the common good. This initiative is even more meaningful in the wake of the Jubilee of the Sick and the Healthcare World. SACRU is committed to continuing to promote spaces for dialogue and collaboration, so that the next generation of scientists can face the great ethical and social challenges of our time with rigor, passion, and responsibility».

 

 

 Vulnerability and Healthcare Research Showcase Event 

Coinciding with the Jubilee of the Sick and Health Care Workers, the event will present the results of a collaborative project supported by the SACRU Working Group ‘Vulnerability and Healthcare

 

Join the Panel Discussion on Microsoft Teams

Date: Monday, 7 April 2025

Time: from 5pm to 7pm CEST

Location: Australian Catholic University Rome Campus, Largo Giovanni Berchet, 4, 00152 Roma.

The interdisciplinary project involved doctoral candidates from seven of the Catholic universities in the SACRU alliance, together with supporting faculty. Over a series of virtual meetings, the doctoral candidates explored the theme Vulnerability and Healthcare from the perspective of their respective research projects, which cover the topics of vaccine trials in developing countries, physician assisted suicide, theologies of prenatal genetic testing, interreligious dialogue on healthcare in conflict zones, boundaries in environmental ethics, the history of monastic medicine, Aristotelian and Thomistic virtues, and social and ecological justice in residential aged care. They will come together at Australian Catholic University’s Rome Campus to finalize and present their results as a panel discussion.

Proceedings will be in English as follows:

Welcome and introduction to the project
Associate Professor David G. Kirchhoffer, Director of the Queensland Bioethics Centre at Australian Catholic University, Chair of SACRU Working Group 1.

On the importance of research into the ethical significance of vulnerability for Catholic health and aged care agencies
Virginia Bourke, Pro-Chancellor of the Senate of Australian Catholic University, Chair of the Board of Mercy Health Australia, Director of Catholic Health Australia, and Director of Caritas Australia

Panel Discussion on Vulnerability and Healthcare with Doctoral Candidates
Lachlan Green—Australian Catholic University
Dorothy Goehring—Boston College
Gabriel Vidal—Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
Jefferson da Silva Bellarmino—Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
Joana Ramos—Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Enrico Frosio—Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

With additional input by
Aitana Juan Giner—Universitat Ramon Llull
Geetanjali Rogers—Australian Catholic University

Q&A with audience

Reflections on Vulnerability and Healthcare: a response to the panel
Reverend Professor James Keenan, SJ, Vice Provost for Global Engagement at Boston College.

For questions about the event, please contact Dr David Kirchhoffer at david.kirchhoffer@acu.edu.au

 

 

 

Reflections on United Nations SDGs:
n.6 Clean Water and Sanitation

 

Boston College has realized this insight through the written article of  Hanqin Tian, Director and Professor of the Center for Earth System Science & Global Sustainability, and the video of Cyrus Rosen, undergraduate student of Engineering 

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 with the goal of providing a path for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. The core of the Agenda is represented by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which represent an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership to adopt strategies that aim to end poverty and other deprivations, improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth. The Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities is collecting insights from SACRU experts and students on the SDGs. This contribution is by Boston College on SDG n6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

Advancing Sustainable Water Management and Global Sanitation

Written by Hanqin Tian, Director and Schiller Institute Professor, Center for Earth System Science and Global Sustainability

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030. Boston College has undertaken notable initiatives to advance this goal through extensive water conservation measures, sustainability practices, research endeavors, and community engagement. The university has implemented campus-wide initiatives such as upgrading toilets, showerheads, and faucets with low-flow fixtures, utilizing weather-responsive sprinkler systems, harvesting rainwater, and reusing gray water to mitigate stormwater runoff. These measures have earned Boston College a Silver Rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), reflecting its integration of water conservation into daily operations.

Faculty and students actively participate in research and educational programs that promote sustainable water practices. Projects like the “Social Justice Through Hydroponics” initiative demonstrate innovative approaches to reducing water usage while educating participants about sustainability. The newly established Center for Earth System Science and Global Sustainability focuses on interdisciplinary research addressing critical issues such as the food-energy-water nexus and sustainable nitrogen management. The Schiller Institute for integrated Science and Society supports local and global research on water sustainability, particularly in underserved communities.

Boston College also extends its efforts beyond campus through community and global engagement. Service-learning projects improve water quality in urban areas, while public workshops raise awareness of conservation practices. Participation in UN Climate Change Conferences enables the university to contribute to international discussions on climate resilience and water security. Through global partnerships, such as the Global Ethics and Social Trust Program, the university addresses the impacts of climate change on water and food security and their implications for migration.

Boston College’s initiatives reflect a deep commitment to environmental sustainability and social justice. By integrating innovative water conservation practices, fostering interdisciplinary research, and engaging with communities globally, the university plays a vital role in ensuring clean water and sanitation for all while addressing long-term sustainability challenges.

 

Why AGI could not be (just) a tool: goals, life, and general intelligence

A research article published by the co-chairs of the SACRU Working Group on AI, William Hasselberger and Micah Lott, in the journal Inquiry 

It is widely believed that AGI has the potential to be a wonderful tool that humans can use to meet our needs, solve our problems, and improve our lives. Against this view, we argue that any entity with truly general, human-level intelligence would have the capacity to lead its own life, with its own purposes and integrated hierarchy of goals. And thus any true AGI could not be merely a tool, even if it turned out to be extremely helpful for human beings. If we are correct, there is a dilemma at the heart of the ambition to build AGI as a valuable tool.

On the one hand, any mere tool that we might build would lack capacities essential to the kind of general intelligence exhibited by human beings; it would not be genuine AGI. On the other hand, were we to create genuine AGI, then what we would have created would not be a mere tool, but something more. In this paper, we make the case for this dilemma. In so doing, we illuminate the connections between a set of core ideas: intelligence, agency, tools, and life.

Read here