The Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU) participated in the Jubilee of the World of Education (Giubileo del Mondo Educativo), held in Vatican City from 27 October to 1 November 2025. The celebration opened with a Holy Mass presided over by Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Basilica, who delivered a message of hope, peace, and renewal, calling educators and students to inspire future generations through unity, faith, and love.

[Official artwork of the Education Jubilee 25 – Constellations of Hope, representing the global network of Catholic educational institutions united in faith, knowledge, and service. Image courtesy of the Dicastery for Culture and Education.]

Throughout the week, numerous events took place simultaneously across Vatican City, gathering educators, students, and Catholic institutions from around the world to reflect on the transformative power of education in society. Today, Catholic education represents one of the world’s largest learning networks, with over 231,000 institutions serving more than 71 million students in 171 countries—from early childhood schools to universities—united in a shared mission of faith and knowledge.

During the Jubilee, ASEACCU actively took part in several activities and exchanges aimed at strengthening collaboration within the global Catholic educational community. On 30 October, the Secretariat contributed to the Constellations of the Educational Network, a collaborative session where Catholic educational organizations from around the world presented their most significant initiatives. The session brought together major Catholic associations such as the Federazione Internazionale delle Università Cattoliche (FIUC), the Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities (SACRU), the Strutture Educative Notre Dame Australia (N.D. Australia), and the Uniservitate Global Program, among others. 

Representing Reverend Professor Stephen Morgan, Rector of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) Macao and General Secretary of ASEACCU, Professor Álvaro Barbosa, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation and Academic Affairs at USJ, delivered a presentation in which he shared ASEACCU’s regional initiatives. These projects promote collaboration, facilitate academic exchange, and reinforce Catholic identity among member institutions throughout East and Southeast Asia.

[Prof. Dr. Álvaro Barbosa, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation and Academic Affairs at the USJ and representative of the ASEACCU’s Executive Secretary, presenting the Association’s mission, structure, and network during the Education Jubilee 25 – Constellations of Hope session in Vatican City.]

On 31 October, participants gathered for an audience with educators and students in St. Peter’s Square, presided over by Pope Leo XIV, followed by the passage through the Holy Door, a deeply symbolic act of spiritual renewal and commitment to the Church’s mission in education.

The Jubilee concluded with a Holy Mass for the entire world of education, during which Pope Leo XIV proclaimed St. John Henry Newman as a Doctor of the Church. This recognition of Cardinal Newman as a 19th-century visionary of Catholic higher education, underscores the enduring relevance of his legacy where faith and reason illuminate the pursuit of truth and human formation in universities.

Participation in this Jubilee reaffirms ASEACCU’s dedication to the Church’s educational mission to form ethical, compassionate leaders and to build bridges of understanding through dialogue, knowledge, and shared faith.

[Photo Left: (left) Prof. Dr. Álvaro Barbosa, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation and Academic Affairs at USJ and representative of the ASEACCU’s Executive Secretary, with (right) Prof. Zlatko Skrbis, Vice-Chancellor of Australian Catholic University (ACU) and ASEACCU’s Board Member | Photo Right: (left) Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, with (right) Mr. Paulo Albuquerque, International Affairs Officer at USJ and representative of the ASEACCU’s Secretariat team; at the Education Jubilee 25 – Constellations of Hope in Vatican City]