The meeting followed up on the activities that correspond to both the common program of IUS at both global and continental levels. To this end, contributions were provided regarding the application of the document "Orienteering for Salesian University Pastoral Care", the formation course for IUS directors and the development of the new website.
A Salesian university cannot do without a pastoral care for the university. “The University Pastoral Care,” it is stated at the Salesian Polytechnic University of Ecuador, “constitutes the transversal axis of all university activity. It directs the various practical realizations of the Salesian presence in the field of university. Its action is aimed at raising awareness of the university educational community and, above all, it has the mission of promoting academic excellence as a base for transforming social action, respecting religious, social diversity, cultural, ethnic, age and sexual relations of people and groups, in order to contribute to the construction of an equitable, ecumenical and intercultural society.”
The Madrid meeting discussed the formation proposal for pastoral animators elaborated by the group of Pastoral Coordinators of European IUS. Also, the European nuclei of the Education Group of the IUS presented the planning of a new study on interculturality and education to be developed in the next two years.
It was also important to analyze the research situation in the different institutes and the possible strategies to be developed to meet the needs that higher education in Europe is experimenting.
Finally, there was a presentation of the publication: "Salesian Charism and Higher Education", material designed to accompany all educators and teachers of Salesian universities.
The Constitutions of the Salesians of Don Bosco affirm: “... to educate and evangelize following a project of integral formation of man, oriented to Christ, the perfect man.”
