JRS Europe director explores collaboration between Jesuit universities and organisations supporting displaced people

Alberto Ares, SJ, Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service Europe (JRS Europe), took part in a Loyola Network Talk organised by Universidad Loyola on 23 September. The meeting examined migration and refuge from the perspective of social justice, human rights and cooperation between academic institutions and organisations working directly with migrants and refugees.

The session was organised by Universidad Loyola’s Migration Research Group and the International Partnerships Unit of the Vice-Rectorate for Teaching and Internationalisation, in collaboration with the IAJU Migration Task Force. It brought together researchers, university staff and representatives of organisations involved in accompanying people on the move and defending their rights.

Connecting universities and frontline organisations

During the first part of the meeting, Alberto Ares presented the main areas of work of JRS Europe and the IAJU Migration Task Force. He highlighted the importance of strengthening links between universities within the International Association of Jesuit Universities and organisations that accompany displaced and refugee people on a daily basis.

His contribution opened a discussion on the opportunities for collaboration in research, education, advocacy and social action. These partnerships can help connect academic knowledge with the experience of people and communities directly affected by forced displacement, while also supporting more informed and rights-based responses to migration.

As coordinator of the GIAN Migration network, Alberto Ares also offered a global perspective on the work of the Society of Jesus with migrants and refugees. The network brings together Jesuit institutions and initiatives working in different regions of the world, making it possible to identify common challenges, share learning and promote coordinated responses to human mobility and forced displacement.

The presentation underlined the value of international cooperation within the Jesuit network and the contribution that universities can make through research, training and dialogue with social organisations.

Understanding the Southern Border

The second part of the Loyola Network Talk featured Josep “Pep” Buades Fuster, SJ, a migration specialist and member of the Jesuit Migrant Service. He presented Dos mares, un rumbo. Informe SJM Frontera Sur 2026, focusing on the changing dynamics of migration routes towards Spain and the challenges faced by public policies and protection systems.

Buades explained that migration routes are constantly changing in response to a wide range of political, social and economic factors. Referring to the current situation in Ceuta, he stressed that developments in one location cannot, on their own, provide a complete picture of migration movements across Spain. He also addressed the situation of children and young people arriving alone, emphasising the need to determine the best interests of each child on an individual basis.

His presentation complemented the research developed by Universidad Loyola within the UNIJES Reference Research Centre on Migration. The university’s work examines human rights and migration at Spain’s Southern Border, including the experiences of people travelling along the Atlantic route and the conditions they face upon arrival and during reception and inclusion processes.

A shared commitment to justice

The meeting showed the importance of bringing together academic research, international cooperation and frontline experience in order to understand migration beyond statistics and simplified narratives. It also highlighted the potential of the global Jesuit network to foster collaboration among universities, social organisations and institutions working to protect the dignity and rights of migrants and refugees.

By participating in the Loyola Network Talk, JRS Europe contributed its European and international perspective to a conversation that placed social justice, shared responsibility and the direct experiences of displaced people at the centre.