3. Results
As we have just shown in respect of the US, we may say that there must be a "country sensitivity". This does not mean that the documents are homogeneous. The results, for the US only, show that the answers are not so clear. Out of the 53 specific items of the Harvanek-Berleur grid, 17 only (32%) are ticked off by more than 30% of the US Universities [1], whereas 13 are considered by all the universities world-wide.
More interesting is the difference of style. Latin America institutions are more prolific than any other. Most of the time (30 times), the documents are no longer than 1 to 2 pages. Latin American documents go from 12 to 55 pages. Regarding the latter, unfortunately we could not consider them entirely: this would have given 100% to each item and distorted the means. We then selected the pages which were more appropriate to our survey, taking parts such as Identidad del Aporte Universitario de la Compa–a de Jesus, Prioridades, Lineas de Accin, Objetivos, Principios, Proyecto Educativo, ... (Support identity of the universities of the Society of Jesus, Priorities, Lines for action, Principles, Education project, ...)
It is also interesting to consider the titles so as to show that there is nothing which is decisive. Annex 1, Table 13, gives some insight, although we did not go to the trouble to transcribe the full titles.
We found: Mission statement; mission and values; institutional statement of mission; philosophy statement; philosophy and mission; mission and goals; mission and aims; statement of purpose; goals, character and commitment; vision and values; strategic plan; charta; profile; project; institutional declaration; memorandum of association; university identification; educational ideals; founders' spirit; objectives and statutes, educational project; principles, objectives and policies; creed; doctrine; challenges; ...
The term "mission" is found in 20 out of the 25 US documents, and in 12 out of the 27 others.
Let us proceed now to the content analysis of the documents. We simply give, without comment, the full results (See Tables 1 & 2). Then, we shall present, first, the items which have been ticked off more than 30% of the time, and, second, those that were chosen less than 20% times. This study is conducted utilizing both the grids of analysis we mentioned.
Table 1: Full results according to the Harvanek-Berleur grid
ALL (52) |
OUTSIDE USA (27) |
USA (25) |
||||
| Nr. | % | Nr. | % | Nr. | % | |
| 1. General | 51 | 98.1 | 26 | 96.3 | 25 | 100. |
| 1. Catholic and/or Jesuit character, Judeo-Christian Tradition, in the Spirit of [the Spiritual exercises of] St. Ignatius, in the Jesuit humanist tradition, with Ignatian Spirituality | 39 | 75.0 | 16 | 59.3 | 23 | 92.0 |
| 2. Expresses the Christian vision of the human person, Christian principles, religion and ethics | 14 | 26.9 | 12 | 44.4 | 2 | 8.0 |
| 3. Provides faith formation of Catholics, faith reflection and celebration | 10 | 19.2 | 5 | 18.5 | 5 | 20.0 |
| 4. Faith expressed in wisdom, service and worship | 7 | 13.5 | 1 | 3.7 | 6 | 24.0 |
| 5. Service of faith and Promotion of Justice | 25 | 48.1 | 11 | 40.7 | 14 | 56.0 |
| 6. Integration of faith and knowledge, theology and science, faith and culture | 14 | 26.9 | 6 | 22.2 | 8 | 32.0 |
| 7. Dialogue with current faiths and ideologies, pluralism and dialogue, respect for all in a context of diversity | 31 | 59.6 | 15 | 55.6 | 16 | 64.0 |
| 8. Transcendent values, truth and values based on Christian humanism | 9 | 17.3 | 7 | 25.9 | 2 | 8.0 |
| 9. Values oriented: liberty, justice, peace, critical sense | 22 | 42.3 | 11 | 40.7 | 11 | 44.0 |
| 10. Development of ethics | 12 | 23.1 | 6 | 22.2 | 6 | 24.0 |
| 11. Interdisciplinarity [Integration of all disciplines], comprehensive view of the world, contemporary problems oriented | 11 | 21.2 | 9 | 33.3 | 2 | 8.0 |
| 12. Social responsibility, train agents of social change | 11 | 21.2 | 8 | 29.6 | 3 | 12.0 |
| 13. Role in culture, culture and values, cultural dialogue | 15 | 28.8 | 12 | 44.4 | 3 | 12.0 |
| 14. A Catholic and Jesuit University is before all a University | 7 | 13.5 | 5 | 18.5 | 2 | 8.0 |
| 15. Freedom of thought and research, academic excellence | 17 | 32.7 | 6 | 22.2 | 11 | 44.0 |
| 16. Search for truth, meaning of life, fundamental questioning, pursuit of knowledge in service of the world | 19 | 36.5 | 11 | 40.7 | 8 | 32.0 |
| 2. Education | 51 | 98.1 | 27 | 100. | 24 | 96.0 |
| 1. Academic excellence | 26 | 50.0 | 12 | 44.4 | 14 | 56.0 |
| 2. Strives for quality education with a faith response | 7 | 13,5 | 4 | 14.8 | 3 | 12.0 |
| 3. Concern for the whole man, integral formation and development of the human person; awareness of vocation in the world, personal worth, cura personalis | 27 | 51.9 | 13 | 48.1 | 14 | 56.0 |
| 4. Education for [Christian] values, liberal arts, humanistic education, beyond pure professionalism | 21 | 40.4 | 8 | 29.6 | 13 | 52.0 |
| 5. Specific place for Philosophy and Theology | 10 | 19.2 | 8 | 29.6 | 2 | 8.0 |
| 6. Spread of culture | 4 | 7.7 | 3 | 11.1 | 1 | 4.0 |
| 7. Intellectual, spiritual and moral development of the members | 24 | 46.2 | 6 | 22.2 | 18 | 72.0 |
| 8. Rigorous attitude | 8 | 15.4 | 3 | 11.1 | 5 | 20.0 |
| 9. Humanism with science and technology, community between sciences | 8 | 15.4 | 8 | 29.6 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 10. Maintains Christian principles in professions | 1 | 1.9 | 1 | 3.7 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 11. Education for the profession, graduate education, "Open University" | 7 | 13.5 | 4 | 14.8 | 3 | 12.0 |
| 3. Research | 23 | 44.2 | 14 | 51.9 | 9 | 36.0 |
| 1. Academic liberty, freedom of conscience, autonomy of functions, academic freedom to pass on the wisdom of the past and research the future | 12 | 23.1 | 9 | 33.3 | 3 | 12.0 |
| 2. Strives for interfaith dialogue and ecumenism | 6 | 11.5 | 2 | 7.4 | 4 | 16.0 |
| 3. Research and communication of knowledge; research for truth | 5 | 9.6 | 4 | 14.8 | 1 | 4.0 |
| 4. Academic excellence, namely in research | 12 | 23.1 | 8 | 29.6 | 4 | 16.0 |
| 4. Community | 25 | 48.1 | 14 | 51.9 | 11 | 44.0 |
| 1. Relationships between and among professors and students, community of persons and groups; participation | 10 | 19.2 | 10 | 37.0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2. Common responsibility towards missions | 11 | 21.2 | 6 | 22.2 | 5 | 22.0 |
| 3. Collaboration with Christians and other denominations | 12 | 23.1 | 4 | 14.8 | 8 | 32.0 |
| 5. Service | 46 | 88.5 | 23 | 85.2 | 23 | 92.0 |
| 1. Social consciousness, service of others, solidarity of human values, peace through justice | 24 | 46.2 | 8 | 29.6 | 16 | 64.0 |
| 2. Social justice for the less favored | 19 | 36.5 | 12 | 44.4 | 7 | 28.0 |
| 3. Men/women in service of others | 12 | 23.1 | 8 | 29.6 | 4 | 16.0 |
| 4. Social change of oppressive structures | 10 | 19.2 | 9 | 33.3 | 1 | 4.0 |
| 5. Service, promotion and development of society, modernity | 10 | 19.2 | 9 | 33.3 | 1 | 4.0 |
| 6. Leadership in service of civil society; openness to change; contemporary aspects | 13 | 25.0 | 5 | 18.5 | 8 | 32.0 |
| 7. Clarify and promote the whole of human culture | 4 | 7.7 | 4 | 14.8 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 8. University freedom, independence | 11 | 21.2 | 5 | 18.5 | 6 | 24.0 |
| 9. Concern for local, national and international relations | 27 | 51.9 | 13 | 48.1 | 14 | 56.0 |
Table 2: Full results according to the Arango-Berleur grid
ALL |
OUTSIDE USA |
USA |
||||
| Nr. | % |
Nr. |
% | Nr. |
% | |
| 1.The Jesuit University is essentially an apostolic work | 1+28* | 55.7 |
1+16 |
63.0 | 12 |
48.0 |
| - formation of multiplying agents | 0 | 0.0 |
0 |
0.0 | 0 |
0.0 |
| - potential creation of values | 4 | 7.7 |
4 |
14.8 | 0 |
0.0 |
| - transformation of the social environment | 19 | 36.5 |
13 |
14.8 | 6 |
24.0 |
| - perspective of the promotion of justice, ... | 20 | 38.5 |
9 |
13.3 | 11 |
44.0 |
| 2. The Ignatian Charisma | 42 (I) | 80.8 |
21 (I) |
77.8 | 21(I) |
84.0 |
| · global and integral vision of man and of the world | 25+15 | 76.9 |
13+7 |
74.0 | 12+8 |
80.0 |
| · positive vision of the world [all-embracing] | 12 | 23.1 |
7 |
25.9 | 5 |
20.0 |
| · emphasis on liberty but with personal and social sin, and humanizing incarnation of Christ | 21 | 40.4 |
9 |
33.3 | 12 |
48.0 |
| · integral realization of the human person | 36 | 69.2 |
17 |
63.0 | 19 |
76.0 |
| · working method for discernment | 2+2 | 7.6 |
1 |
3.7 | 1+2 |
12.0 |
| · problems of importance in the life of the University | 2 | 3.8 |
0 |
0.0 | 2 |
8.0 |
| · weigh up the alternatives | 0 | 0.0 |
0 |
0.0 | 0 |
0.0 |
| · preparing and deciding plan of action, ... | 2 | 3.8 |
1 |
3.7 | 1 |
4.0 |
| · rigorous reflection attitude on fundamental problems of science and technology | 9+9 | 34.6 |
8+2 |
37.0 | 1+7 |
32.0 |
| · search for truth | 11 | 21.2 |
4 |
14.8 | 7 |
28.0 |
| 3. Today's mission of the Society. Forma omnium: preferential love for the poor and solidarity with them | 7+16 | 44.2 |
4+6 |
37.0 | 3+10 |
52.0 |
| · with effects on study programmes | 1 | 1.9 |
1 |
3.7 | 0 |
0.0 |
| · development of initial thinking and values | 9 | 17.3 |
6 |
22.2 | 3 |
12.0 |
| · interdisciplinarity studies | 5 | 9.6 |
4 |
14.8 | 1 |
4.0 |
| · care in choice of research projects | 1 | 1.9 |
0 |
1 |
4.0 | |
| · campus atmosphere | 0 | 0.0 |
0 |
0.0 | 0 |
0.0 |
| · service and experiences of mutual relationships, etc. | 13 | 25.0 |
2 |
7.4 | 11 |
44.0 |
| 4. Operative mechanisms in the transmission of values | 1+31 | 61.5 |
13 |
48.1 | 1+18 |
76.0 |
| · Interdisciplinarity: | 9+1 | 19.2 |
6+1 |
25.9 | 3 |
12.0 |
| · coherence of understanding concerning the self-same reality of man | 3 | 5.8 |
3 |
11.1 | 0 |
0.0 |
| · inserting what is idiosyncratically proper to each into the universal | 0 | 0.0 |
0 |
0.0 | 0 |
0.0 |
| · serious study of theology | 3 | 5.8 |
2 |
7.4 | 1 |
4.0 |
| · complementary workshops based on social, cultural and ethical responsibilities | 1 | 1.9 |
1 |
3.7 | 0 |
0.0 |
| · Reflection on values: | 6 | 11.5 |
2 |
7.4 | 4 |
16.0 |
| · keep seeking how to mesh each particular science into a global concept of man and his world | 1 | 1.9 |
0 |
0.0 | 1 |
4.0 |
| · Educational Community: | 22+1 | 44.2 |
11 |
40.7 | 11+1 |
48.0 |
| · equal share between Jesuits and laity who collaborate together | 12 | 23.1 |
4 |
14.8 | 8 |
32.0 |
| · enormous potential of ex-alumni | 0 | 0.0 |
0 |
0.0 | 0 |
0.0 |
| · specific training in Ignatian tradition | 3 | 5.8 |
1 |
3.7 | 2 |
8.0 |
| · specific role of the Jesuit Community (not the power, but its "authority", guaranteeing for the transmission of Gospel values and orientation of Evangelical life) | 2 | 3.8 |
2 |
7.4 | 0 |
0.0 |
| · International Cooperation of Jesuit Universities: | 10+5 | 28.8 |
4+3 |
25.9 | 6+2 |
32.0 |
| · international vs. parochial and local | 4 | 7.7 |
1 |
3.7 | 3 |
12.0 |
| · rights of the third and fourth world | 1 | 1.9 |
1 |
3.7 | 0 |
0.0 |
| · "international conscience" and awareness. | 5 | 9.6 |
4 |
14.8 | 1 |
4.0 |
* x+y means that the first figure is explicitly ticked off and that the second is inferred from the answers to the different items of the section or sub-section. We indicate between brackets when the figure is only inferred "(I)".
[1] We don't consider here the general headers, except for "'Research" and "Community".