The specific objectives of the Institutions under the care of the Society are: a) academic excellence, b) social concern c) character formation and d) Christian and human values.
a. Academic Excellence : Teaching in the Institutions of the Society is not confined to mere imparting of textual knowledge and completion of syllabi. The teaching staff is expected to go beyond the academic requirements and to inculcate in students’ intellectual curiosity, habits of systematic work, critical reflection and an aptitude for research.
A compelling urge for advanced forms of study should be the natural corollary of academic excellence. The Management expects from all its employee’s intellectual integrity, a personal quest for knowledge and commitment to academic advancement by keeping in touch with the latest developments in one’s own field of specialization. Consequently, research, publications, teaching and training form part of academic work. Besides, a measure of familiarity with other fields of knowledge and culture as a part of general intellectual excellence is expected.
b. Social Concern : Education and Social Work is a tool to improve the quality of life chiefly of the disadvantaged. The admission policy of the Society, therefore, is in favour of the socially and economically backward and marginalized groups. An equally important aspect of the educational endeavour promoted by the Society is to inculcate in students a concern for society so that the students become perceptive of the various regional, national and international forces that threaten harmony and peace and inflict hardship on the poor. Teachers are expected to be aware of the social reality and integrate the social dimension in their teaching, learning and research. The Society desires to train students who are socially conscious and ready to stake their lives for others. The staff is also expected to have the same mindset.
c. Character Formation : Character formation is an integral part of education. Character includes speech, behaviour, values, attitudes to life and society. All our Institutions must insist on hard work, discipline, perseverance, honesty, integrity, sensitivity to others and universal love that embraces all people cutting across barriers of language, religion and caste. To further the cause of education, the Management expects its teachers to be involved in counselling at the individual level, remedial work, personality development programmes, Associations and co-curricular activities and be partners with the Management in fulfilling the objectives.
d. Christian and Human Values : Our Institutions shall make a positive effort to promote universal, Christian and human values through instruction imparted especially during the Faith Formation/Value Education programmes and through the campus culture carefully articulated and promoted. Those employed in our institutions will strive to imbibe these values and witness to them in their life and work both on the campus and outside.
These notions are based on three important intellectual and transformative practices, namely;
a) Critical thinking,
b) Cultural sensitivity and
c) The discourse/practice of social justice.
a) Critical Thinking
Jesuit Institutions need to be geared to enable and enhance ideas and actions that are modern, secular, logical and just in every way possible. It should seek after an academic architecture that develops conditions and spaces for critical evaluation and scientific study of ideas and thoughts, materials and practices necessarily connected to the community, the nation and the world at large. This includes the development of research in the Pure Sciences, the Social Sciences, the Languages, Humanities and Communications. It also entails that we offer courses that are imbued with the modern ideas of secularism, scientific temper and social justice. The idea of social concern translates on the ground in at least two major actions, namely constituting learning as a progressive change making process and being involved in actual social action. This implies that we formulate curriculum that is on par with global standards, research that is the cutting edge and teaching-learning that is progressive. It also implies that we evolve social action that is inevitably linked to our social vision as represented and included in our curricula.
b) Cultural Sensitivity
In order to achieve academic excellence, we need to have and be inclusive Institutions that take in students from specifically marginalized positions and locations, so that we provide educational opportunities to all. This inclusiveness will then constitute the potential for social change. While our interest is with minority communities and we are profoundly committed to their progress, we also remain in dialogue with other faiths, religions and communities, which would then create a multi-religious and multi-cultural environment for true inter-cultural and inter-faith harmony in our Institutions.
c) Social Justice
Social justice needs to be at the centre of all academic work and the social intervention. Towards this purpose, there is a need to mobilize both curriculum and practice into one well-rounded intellectual and empowering process and action, without compartmentalizing one from the other. Hence the notion of social justice must inculcate ideas and practices that are essentially conscientizing the consciousness of learners. Teaching and learning should involve egalitarianism in every sphere.
