The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) said in a statement last week that it has recently joined the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU) Centenary General Assembly that celebrated a century of global collaboration in Catholic higher education, in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The statement said that USJ, a member of IFCU, joined the event with over 100 leaders of Catholic Universities worldwide. Rev. Prof. Stephen Morgan, elected Vice-President of the IFCU Board of Administration for 2025–2028, and Vice-Rector for Internationalisation and Academic Affairs, Prof. Álvaro Barbosa, represented the private Catholic university at the event.
The statement added that they contributed to the conference titled “The Catholic University as a Driver of Social Impact” at the Catholic University UNIVA – Universidad del Valle de Atemajac, Mexico.
Throughout the conference, USJ’s delegation “engaged in sessions focused on academic innovation, sustainability, intercultural dialogue, and the evolving role of Catholic universities in today’s global landscape”, according to the statement.
The statement added that Rev. Prof. Morgan also chaired the General Assembly Inaugural Conference on the topic of Academic Diplomacy*, while Prof. Barbosa delivered the workshop “Catholic University: A Place of Creativity and Knowledge”.
*Academic Diplomacy refers to the use of education, research, and scholarly collaboration as tools to foster international relations, mutual understanding, and cooperation between countries and regions. It involves universities, research institutions, scholars and students engaging in cross-border exchanges to address global challenges, build trust, and strengthen diplomatic ties. – DeepSeek
This undated handout photo provided by the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) last week shows USJ Rector, Rev. Prof. Stephen Morgan addressing the recently held International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU) General Assembly in Guadalajara in Mexico.
