OSCI formation programs presented in first HOPE25 Jesuit conference in Seville

From 02 to 07 June 2025, Ateneo de Manila University's Office for Social Concern and Involvement was part of the first HOPE25 conference titled: The Jesuit University in the 21st Century: A Project of Hope for the World. It was held at Universidad Loyola in Seville, Spain and had over 300 faculty members and professionals across different Jesuit universities internationally.

OSCI’s presentation was titled: Kuwentuhan (exchanging stories) as the foundation of holistic pedagogical formation programs: a discussion on the current ladderized formation program by the Office for Social Concern and Involvement of Ateneo de Manila University. Serge Gabriel, a current Binhi OSCI formator and instructor with the Department of Philosophy, delivered the presentation.

The paper centered on OSCI and the University’s effort to form, teach, and ground its students holistically and socially beginning with its foundational formation program (Binhi). In this program, first-year students spend a whole day with partner communities across different sectors (fisher folk, rural poor, persons with disabilities, elderly, environment, women, etc.) and get to know them through kwentuhan or exchanging stories. These efforts to create conversation and connection, as processed within the program, are the foundation of relationships and succeeding formation and service learning initiatives.

The current ladderized formation programs of Ateneo

Binhi is the first of three current formation programs that university students undergo. The formation program is tied to SocSc11: Understanding the Self and is done in partnership with the Department of Psychology and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. The succeeding programs are Punla (tied to Theo12: Theology of the Catholic Social Vision and the National Service Training Program, NSTP 11), and Bigkis (tied to SocSc13: Economy, Society, and Sustainable Development and the National Service Training Program, NSTP 12). The ladderized formation program follows the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm to deepen social awareness and intensify the passion for social involvement among its students.

Interdisciplinarity together

The international congress gathered researchers in the fields of Health Sciences, Engineering, Ecology and Sustainability, Theology, Philosophy and Humanities, Sociology, Law, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Communication, Arts, Pedagogy and Education, as found on their official website. The congress’ main aim was to discuss and address the mission of Jesuit institutions as aligned “with the visionary objectives outlined in the Society of Jesus's Universal Apostolic Preferences, this Congress aims to address.”

More information on the conference can be found on their website: 
https://eventos.uloyola.es/108673/detail/the-jesuit-university-in-the-21st-century-a-project-of-hope-for-the-world.html