Marist International Network of IHE

A Built Dream

Saint Marcellin Champagnat initiated the Marist work at the beginning of the 19th century with the purpose of educating children and young people as a way of making Jesus Christ known and loved. At that time, the small schools of the work, which were established in parishes and small communities in the interior of France, rapidly increased in number, demonstrating the success of the mission of the religious who went on to form the Marist Brothers of the Schools Institute (F.M.S. – FratresMaristæ a Scholis). Soon the mission crossed frontiers and spread to many countries through the educational and evangelizing work of the Marist Brothers in their own schools, regional communities and other institutions.

FIRST STEPS

The founder of the Marist mission, St. Marcellin Champagnat, taught us that one of the premises of our way of education is to listen to each other. Then, gathered around a table, the brothers listened to each other seeking to find the best way to act in relation to the success of their mission.

Much later, this legacy was one of the inspirations that led a group of people linked to Marist institutions of higher education to seek to meet and share experiences.

Even though, linked by the Marist charism and having, in some way, the work of brothers and lay Marists, these institutions of higher education (HEI) did not have a reinforced connection that represented an alignment of purpose or joint work.

The differences in action fronts, culture, language, and geographical distances made this rapprochement difficult for some time. Some of them were not even aware of their beautiful opportunities in the Marist bond.

It was in the early 2000s when the initiative arose to bring together representatives from different Marist HEIs around the world to discuss and share experiences. The first meeting took place in 2004, on the campus of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Paraná (PUCPR), in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. After this meeting, it was established that a new edition of the meeting would be held every two years.

CHAPTERS OF OUR HISTORY

2004 – 2006: KNOWING ONESELF

In November 2004, representatives of 21 Marist HEIs held the I Meeting, which focused on allowing each institution to make its presentation, allowing them to share the academic and management characteristics of the different realities. At that time, the network had not yet been established.

2006 – 2008: THE NETWORK, A POSSIBILITY

Gathered in Guadalajara, Mexico, the representatives of the Marist HEIs participated in the II Meeting in 2006. The main topics of discussion were the possibility of creating a network of Marist HEIs, the elaboration of a document on the Marist mission in higher education, and the probability of offering a Marist formation service open to the whole Institute.

2008-2010: THE NETWORK, A CONSTRUCTION

The cities of Salamanca and Alcalá de Henares, in Spain, hosted the III Meeting of representatives in 2008, and work continued to lay the foundations for the Network to become a reality. A Council was created with the specific objective of creating a regulatory framework for the Network’s activities. At this meeting, the document “Marist Mission in Higher Education” was presented and approved, which was subsequently published in 2010.

2010-2012: STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM

Held in Porto Alegre (Brazil), the 4th Meeting had as its main theme the exchange programs of students within the Network. The participants discussed the possibilities and mechanisms for more intense student exchanges among the Marist HEIs. The meeting also approved the draft Statutes of the Network.

2012-2014: A CONSTITUTIVE FRAMEWORK

The main point of the V Meeting, held in Mexico City, was the formal constitution of the ” Marist International Network of Higher Education Institutions “. The Act of Constitution and the Statutes of the Network were drawn up and registered in Notary 117 of the Federal District of Mexico.

2014-2016: MARIST IHE – MEETINGS AROUND THE FIRE

With this theme, representatives from 23 Marist IHEs, gathered at the 6th Meeting, which was held in Koronadal, Philippines. Discussions focused on how to promote the understanding of the Marist mission in higher education for the future. Projects for the creation of a course on the Rights of the Child and statistical data on the Network were presented.

2016-2018: THE NETWORK IN THE LIGHT OF THE MARIST BICENTENARY

The 7th meeting of Network representatives took place in Poughkeepsie, United States. The discussions and reflections were marked by the New Models for the Institute project and the insertion of the Marist HEIs in the Marist Bicentenary preparation.

2018-2020: BUILDING BRIDGES IN A FRAGMENTED WORLD

The 8th Meeting of the Network’s representatives took place in Lima, Peru. The desire was expressed for changes that would lead to the broadening of the internationalization of the HEIs, with the participation of brothers and lay people dedicated to working to reinforce the Network. For the participants, the 16 years of history of the Network already allow us to know the characteristics of the Marist HEIs, and it is urgent to develop mechanisms of sharing and exchange among them.

2022: INNOCATION, DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFORMATION

The 10th Assembly of the Marist International Network of Higher Education was held in Brazil, April 26-29, 2022, on the campus of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), in Porto Alegre. During the event, leaders from 21 Marist institutions addressed the theme “Innovation, Development and Transformation”. (read more).