The 30th ASEACCU Annual Conference was held from August 21st to Aug 23rd, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. An important and exuberant annual gathering within the ASEACCU community, this year’s Conference was hosted by the Australian Catholic University (ACU) with collaborative assistance from the ASEACCU Secretariat, University of Saint Joseph Macao (USJ) and welcomed over 200 Conference delegates and guests from new and long-standing member institutions across Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Macao, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Vietnam and with regards from Thailand.
Conference delegates were warmly received on the ACU North Sydney campus with a Welcome to Country smoking ceremony conducted by indigenous elder Uncle Raymond Weatheral. Continuing the tradition of thought-provoking lectures, this year’s Conference introduced crafted panel sessions and roundtable discussions surrounding the theme “What makes a Catholic University Catholic?”, the social impact and responsibilities of Catholic universities, reflecting mission through service-learning and research, and welcomed sharings from Rectors, student leaders and SACRU members.
During the Opening Ceremony, Professor Zlatko Skrbis, Vice-Chancellor and President of ACU, the Hon. Steve Whan, MP from the Parliament of New South Wales (NSW) and Reverend Professor Stephen Morgan, ASEACCU Executive Secretary delivered welcoming remarks to the community of students, leadership members, honourable guests, faculty and speakers present in the Ryan Auditorium. In observance of the IFCU’s Centenary, the 30th ASEACCU Annual Conference also served as a key regional occasion to foster the mission of the Catholic HEIs and the Church, with IFCU President Professor Isabel Gil in attendance and acting as one of the speakers.
There were also planned hands-on activities and cultural visits to the Australian Museum and Art Gallery of NSW viewing the comprehensive collection of indigenous arts and a featured talk on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art collection, complete with a blessed mass concelebrated by members and led by Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Reverend Anthony Fisher OP at the Crypt of St. Mary’s Cathedral, and a welcome dinner at the NSW Parliament House co-hosted by University of Notre Dame Australia.
On the third day of the Conference, the ASEACCU Secretariat held the General Assembly, formally welcoming four new member institutions: Catholic Kkottongnae University (South Korea), Catholic Institute Of Vietnam, St. Louis College Of San Fernando, La Union (Philippines) and Universidade Católica Timorense São João Paulo II (Timor-Leste), leading the association to be represented by 11 countries and 91 member institutions. The 31st ASEACCU Annual Conference to be hosted by Providence University in Taiwan also revealed its theme– “Pilgrims of Hope: Spiritual Development and Action of Gen Z” and the announcement of the 32nd ASEACCU Annual Conference to be co-hosted by members in Indonesia.
With heartfelt thanks from Chris Riley, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Global and Education Pathways at ACU during the Closing Ceremony, and the celebration of the signing of MOUs between member institutions, the gifting of ASEACCU message glass sticks to members, handover to Providence University as the next host institution and earnest cultural performances from the student delegates, the 30th ASEACCU Annual Conference came to a momentous conclusion. On behalf of the organising committee, the ASEACCU would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all the facilitators, speakers, guests and participants in making the Conference a memorable event.
Source: ASEACCU
