6ApproachCatholic Networks and Collaboration withInternational OrganizationsBuilding a Network Focused on the Global SouthSOPHIA MAGAZINE Vol. 19The Training Program for Faculty Members of the National Autonomous Uni-versity of Honduras, Conducted at SophiaScenes from the study tour to Africaportant role in leading or supporting the way.” Sophia’s global strategy is apparent in many of its ongoing activities. Over the past 10 years, Sophia has significantly increased its num-ber of overseas partner universities from approximately 235 to 400, with particular emphasis on building relationships with uni-versities in emerging countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin Amer-ica, among other regions.“I want to learn about the perspectives of universities in vari-ous regions and how they perceive the issues occurring across the globe,” Terumichi says.As featured in a previous issue of this magazine, Sophia has po-sitioned the African continent as a strategic region for promot-ing globalization. This is marked by Sophia’s participation in the South Africa-Japan University Forum (SAJU). Sophia has also conducted joint research on water resources in the North Afri-can region and has concluded a comprehensive partnership agree-ment with the African Development Bank(AfDB), in addition to actively promoting the development and utilization of networks with local educational institutions and public organizations, as well as development of study abroad programs.Sophia has longstanding agreements with leading universities in Latin America, including Chile and Colombia, that share a Cath-olic educational philosophy. In recent years, Sophia has further expanded its network, cooperating in JICA’s project to strengthen the master’s degree program at the National Autonomous Univer-sity of Honduras. This commitment to the region is reflected in Terumichi’s visit to countries in the Caribbean as well as hosting the fifth Japan-Mexico Rectors’ Summit in 2022. Held alternately in Japan and Mexico, the Rectors’ Summit serves as a forum for dozens of university presidents, researchers, and ed-ucators to gather and exchange views. Focusing on the relation-ship between universities and global risk, the conference dem-onstrated the significance of hearing the views of young people across the U.S. border on the risks of social division, and the per-spectives of university educators and researchers there. Such op-portunities are invaluable for Sophia’s globalization initiatives.Sophia is also a member of the International Association of Uni-versities (IAU), where Terumichi serves as an elected board mem-ber for the Asian region. In November 2024, Sophia hosted the IAU International Conference 2024. The IAU, which has more than 600 member universities and affiliated organizations of vari-ous sizes from different regions, demonstrates how each university has its own view of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations. Highlighting IAU’s significance, Terumichi says, “As an IAU board member, I have attended meet-ings that have made me keenly aware of the obvious fact that dif-ferent countries have different ways of thinking. It is a place for valuable insights that impact Sophia, Japanese universities, and other participating institutions.” Sophia clearly has close ties to universities in Asia. Two consor-tia of Catholic higher education institutions, The Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU) and the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Uni-versities (AJCU-AP), represent significant relationships. As the head institution of the Japan Association of Catholic Universi-ties, Sophia has naturally come to represent Japan and is taking a leadership role in meeting the demands of the times.Sophia is also a member of The Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities (SACRU), a global network of Catholic research universities created to promote education, research and collaborative activities that follow the Catholic philosophy. So-phia is one of eight universities in this network and the only rep-resentative from Asia. As members of this network, faculty par-ticipate in joint research on social issues, such as sustainability and gender equality, based on the particular perspective of Cath-
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