Conference for Secondary School Heads
“Sharing the Best We Have: Faith, Community, Mission“
14–17 October 2025 | Málaga, Spain
Dear Secondary school heads in the JECSE network,
We are delighted to invite you to participate in our International Conference for Heads of Jesuit Secondary Schools of the European and Middle East regions. As you may know, JECSE organizes 3-years cycles of conferences focusing on important and relevant topics for leaders working in our schools. Each cycle consists of 3 separate conferences specially designed for a specific audience: one for Secondary School Heads, one for Primary School Heads, and one for Pedagogical Leaders. In addition to these, we also hold a separate Conference for people involved in Pastoral work in our schools.
This cycle we are now beginning will have as its title:
Sharing the best we have: Faith, Community, Mission.
In today’s rapidly changing world, Jesuit schools face a profound challenge: how to remain deeply rooted in our faith-based identity while engaging openly and compassionately with a diverse and often secular (postsecular) society. What does it mean to be a Catholic school in the 21st century? How do we form communities that are grounded in the Gospel and Ignatian tradition, while welcoming students and staff of all beliefs and backgrounds? How can we build on the enduring aspects of the Catholic and Ignatian identities of our schools while exploring their dynamic relevance to all our staff and students today? How does openness to and dialogue with different worldviews, cultures, and religions invites us to rediscover and strengthen our own sense of identity?
We are called to reimagine how our schools live out their mission—not only in words, but in the daily life of our communities. Many of us feel the tension between staying true to our foundational values and responding with openness and authenticity to the questions and expectations of today’s young people and their families. At times, even within our own institutions, the meaning of “mission” or “Ignatian identity” can seem uncertain or fragmented.
This conference invites school leaders to pause, reflect, and re-engage with the essential questions of our mission. Together, we will explore how to foster faith in ways that are meaningful and life-giving, seeking new paths for evangelisation; how to nurture communities of faith so that we may continue to be authentic witnesses of Jesus in our schools; how to cultivate inclusive environments that reflect the richness of our Catholic and Ignatian tradition; and how to lead with clarity, courage, and compassion in a world that longs for hope, justice, and spiritual depth.
Venue
Casa Diocesana
https://www.casadiocesanamalaga.com/
Pasaje de los Almendrales, 2 – 4.
C.P. 29013. Málaga
Please note that this is a formation event and we are accommodated in the retreat house. Each participant is staying in a single room with a bathroom.
What can I expect from this conference?
These international conferences are great opportunities for those who participate to encounter peers from other European countries and to enrich and be enriched by the experience of one another. Being an activity for ongoing formation of leaders, the conferences include presentations by experts and also extensive opportunities for individual reflection, group sharing, and practical exercises or workshops designed to bridge theory and application. Being together for three and a half days also allows opportunities for sharing best practices that enrich our work personally and also institutionally, in addition to providing participants with a more meaningful personal connection to the network. Finally, and very importantly given the focus of this cycle, the conference is also a time for faith exploration and nourishing, for enjoying times of prayer together and individually, and simply for personal renewal.
Participants
The primary target audience for this conference is Secondary School Heads from Jesuit and Companion Schools. Each school, in consultation with its Education Delegate, is responsible for deciding who will participate.
To ensure participation from the different parts of the European region, we had to agree on a limited number of participants for each Province/region. The Education Delegate for your Province can inform you about this!
Language
There will be simultaneous translation into three languages (EN / SP / FR).
Small group meetings for reflection and sharing will be in your preferred language.
The cost of the conference is 600 € per person (including accommodation and visits). Travel costs are not included.
Arrangements for payment will be made through your Province Delegate.
You will receive the invoice after registration.
In case you need to cancel your participation in the event, please be aware of our the cancellation policy:
– after August 1st – 50%
– after September 3rd – 75%
– no show – 100%
If you would like to participate in the conference, please complete the registration form and send it to your Delegate by May 28th. Delegates are kindly asked to submit the final list of participants to the JECSE Director no later than May 30th.
Once we receive registration lists from all Delegates you will then receive a follow-up email from JECSE requesting some practical information.