Ranked 58th
The theme of the day was ‘Jesuit ethos in higher education’.
Fr D’Silva stated that the core principle of Ignatius Loyola’s spirituality is ‘being fully human and full alive’. “Ignatius Loyola believed and propagated that Jesus was a supreme ideal person and we all should be like Jesus or such Purushotham in order to build a heaven on earth,” he said.
He gave insights on how the Society of Jesus began initially as a missionary order and later wanted to transform society through value-based education.
He discussed in depth the Jesuit educational aims:
- Preparing men and women for others
- Make students agents of social change
- Academic accomplishment
- Professional proficiency
- Emotional integration
- Moral maturity
- Social sensitivity
- Making students spiritually strong
These goals lead to an integrated development of an individual. Insights regarding the imperatives for human, ethical, moral spiritual, intellectual and social well being were provided.
Further Fr D’Silva stated that there are four dimensions to understand the Jesuit institution. They are: It is an educational institution; Christian institution; Jesuit institution; and an Indian Institution.
Each of the dimensions were discussed in depth by providing the guiding principles and values for each of them. Several real time examples were provided by the resource person in order to understand the principles and values.
He also conducted a prayer examine of consciousness. The steps were discussed in order to make faculties to inculcate this exercise regularly. Later in the afternoon, he conducted depth group conversation in order for everyone to share their views on Jesuit education and how to improvise from here on. The day’s sessions ended with a question and answer session.
