The Integrated Education Team (INCHE, the Kuyers Institute, and the de Vries Institute) announces their fall 2024 conference “Integrated Education in a Reductionist Age” to be help October 10-12 at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. The conference invites examination of how Christian approaches to teaching and learning can expand our understanding of how learners grow, and shape practices that resist reductionism and undergird a more holistic pursuit of student and teacher flourishing. How do we honor the coherence of Christian faith and life in teaching, learning, scholarship, and service in a reductionist age?
Click for more information, registration information, and to read the call for papers.
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As part of their 50th Year celebrations, INCHE held a one-day conference in San Jose, Costa Rica on November 15, 2024. In addition to expert panelists on current topics, including decolonialization, AI, multi-culturalism, and the environment and sustainability, the guests were treated to a keynote speech from Dr. Alexandre Brasil Fonseca, the Secretary of Higher Education of Brazil.
The day ended with a celebration of INCHE’s anniversary, highlighting a video from one of the RIESC founders, Sidney Roy. You can watch his comments here as he explains the history of INCHE in Latin America and around the world.
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INCHE began its year-long celebration of 50 years of serving faith-based higher education around the world with an North American Conference October 17-19, 2024 titled “Integrated Education in a Reductionist Age.” INCHE members from around the world shared their research, learned from each other, and connected with old and new friends.
Pre-conference gatherings connected international attendees in a networking coffee time, a workshop, and a panel discussion with conference partners the Kuyers and de Vries Institutes which highlighted INCHE’s 50th anniversary.
In addition to the breakout sessions, attendees were blessed by three plenary speakers who each shared a unique way to think about how society tries to reduce people, and how those in Christian higher education can counter that reduction.
Dr. Justin Ariel Bailey, an associate professor and chair of the theology department at Dordt University.
Dr. Matthew Kaemingk, the Richard John Mouw Assistant Professor of Faith and Public Life at Fuller Theological Seminary where he also serves as the director of the Richard John Mouw Institute of Faith and Public Life.
Dr. Katie Kresser, a Professor of Art History and Visual Studies at Seattle Pacific University. Her work focuses on art theory, modern/postmodern art, and the intersection of material culture with theology, religious practice and anthropology.
Links to their speeches can be found in the Resources tab for INCHE members
The Integrated Education Team (INCHE, the Kuyers Institute, and the de Vries Institute) announces their fall 2024 conference “Integrated Education in a Reductionist Age” to be help October 10-12 at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. The conference invites examination of how Christian approaches to teaching and learning can expand our understanding of how learners grow, and shape practices that resist reductionism and undergird a more holistic pursuit of student and teacher flourishing. How do we honor the coherence of Christian faith and life in teaching, learning, scholarship, and service in a reductionist age?
Click for more information, registration information, and to read the call for papers.
In late June, two INCHE universities in Korea hosted Executive Director Shirley Roels. At Kosin University in Busan, she visited first with vice president Sohn Sue Kyung, their academic deans, leaders of international affairs, and the chief university chaplain. In wide-ranging discussions, they considered the university’s mission and their international interests. Kosin University has more than 100 international students. At Baekseok University in Cheonan, Shirley combined her visit with that of the Calvin University team. Derek Schuurman, a member of the Calvin team, provided Christian perspectives on artificial intelligence; and Shirley contributed a presentation about worldwide Christian higher education.
MADURAI, INDIA— On June 21, 2024 Dr. Daniel Ezhilarasu, the regional coordinator of INCHE in India, Dr. A. Umesh Samuel, the principal of CSI Bishop Solomon Doraiswamy College of Arts and Science, and Dr. Shirley Roels, Executive Director of INCHE participated in a consultation focused on strategizing and planning the roadmap for INCHE in India for the upcoming biennium (2024-2026). Hosted graciously by Lady Doak College, the meeting emphasized expanding the network, enhancing academic excellence, and promoting the distinctive aspects of Christian higher education.
A cohort of thirteen scholars from around the world will meet for a seminar from July 8-12, 2024 in Oxford, England to explore the writings of Abraham Kuyper on business and economics and bridge them to 21st century teaching, scholarship, and practices. The goal is to enrich Christian perspectives on economic life for Christian teacher/scholars among INCHE network members. This focus is essential for Christian universities and colleges in teaching their students about the economic sphere of living and leadership. The seminar is organized and will be hosted in cooperation with the Centre for Enterprise, Markets, and Ethics, a U.K. charity focus on the intersection of theology, business, and economics.
Sixty-five partcipants from twenty INCHE colleges met for a training program on Transformational leadership in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India at Popes College, Sawyerpuram from May 1-3, 2024. It was organized by INCHE and hosted by Popes College, JACSI College of Engineering and Marchosius College of TND Diocese. The aim of the training program was to build the capacity of educational leaders in Christian Higher Education Institutions with effective transformational leadership skills.
In late October 2023, INCHE was awarded grant funds to support a July 8-12, 2024 seminar in Oxford, U.K. about Abraham Kuyper on Business and Economics: Building a Bridge to 21st Century Teaching, Scholarship, and Practices.
INCHE will ask its universities and colleges from throughout the world to nominate an influential business educator to participate. The grant will cover all expenses for selected participants. A formal announcement will be forthcoming soon. Please be alert to details about the nomination process.
During 2023, INCHE member teams in ten African Christian universities have focused on a professional development initiative concerning the education of Redemptive Change Agents. Through reading, small group discussions, and completion of two online modules they have probed the goals of Christian education, the challenge of sin, and the promise of redemptive hope.
The ten teams are from: Akademie Reformatoriese Opleiding en Studies, Bowen University, Christian Service University College, Daystar University, Melchisedec Graduate Bible Academy, Mountain Top University, Pan Africa Christian University, Uganda Christian University, the University of Mkar, and Vision Bible College. With the guidance of African coaches, Abraham Waigi and Stephen Nduto, in the last week of November these teams will meet each other in person and present the results of their learning. Please pray for effective meetings. A further description of this initiative is available at https://inche.one/events.
Participants and Speakers from around the world met virtually on November 3 to discuss various topics pertaining to the Protestant church in Latin America. This was the 8th Latin American Conference the INCHE has put on. Thanks to Fernando Bullon for his work in organization and promotion.
Over 80 participants from all over the world registered to listen to panelists reflect on teaching faithfully in STEM with David I. Smith, Director of the Kuyers Institute for Christian Teaching and Learning. David I. Smith’s award-winning 2018 book On Christian Teaching challenged instructors to consider how Christian faith can inform not only the content of our teaching, but also our pedagogical choices. Several faculty members from two universities subsequently considered how faith should shape their teaching in STEM fields such as biology, computer science, engineering, mathematics, and nursing, resulting in a co-authored journal article. What challenges were posed for them as Christian teachers? How are they attempting to answer them in their teaching? What is the Christian rationale behind their pedagogical choices?
In September, 2023 INCHE partnered with Madras Christian College for a workshop equipping researchers with a solid foundation on integrity in research, scientific writing and manuscript publishing. Each lecture included interesting insights along with hands-on sessions in the various nuances of scientific writing and publishing. The band of resource persons from across academic disciplines helped the participants through one-to-one discussion sessions during the program.
On September 1-7, a remarkable and immediate follow-up occurred after the June 2023 INCHE Asia Oceania conference in Korea. Mr. Sungmin Kim, Director of the Office of International Affairs for Handong Global University, visited several INCHE India members in the cities of Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, and Vellore, India. He also talked with additional Christian colleges in India that actively are considering INCHE membership.
The culmination of the week was signing a formal Memorandum of Understanding between Handong Global University and India’s Christian colleges that are affiliated with INCHE.
Thank you to Daniel Ezhilarasu for his involvement and enthusiasm, and for the wonderful photos!
On June 20-22, 2023, INCHE Asia-Oceania conference hosted by Handong Global University in Pohang, Korea occurred. The theme of Christian Scholars: Forming Identity, Building Community was carried out through plenary addresses, multiple concurrent sessions, times of worship, and networking over meals. The INCHE Asia-Oceania conference was open to both INCHE members and guests. They arrived from multiple nations with strong interest from Australia, India, Indonesia, and USA. Handong Global University welcomed participants worldwide who sought to be informed, connected, and equipped as Christian academic leaders. INCHE members can find pictures and a video link on the INCHE-member Facebook page found here:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087328756274 .
INCHE announces its 2023 African professional development initiative, Preparing Redemptive Change Agents. Through professional learning circles, faculty teams from ten African Christian universities will develop Biblical, theological, and practical understandings of redemptive change agency as well as its teaching and learning within their universities. The goal is to deepen the ability of faculty members to train graduates in understanding their identity, role, and skills as wise Christian agents for change in their societies.
Two African coaches, Abraham Waigi Ng’ang’a and Steve Nduto will guide the university teams. Abraham Waigi is an instructor at Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission, and Culture in Ghana. He also is a research fellow at Liverpool Hope University’s Andrew Walls Centre for the Study of African and Asian Christianity. Steve Nduoto is a professor of religion at Daystar University in Kenya and previously served there for thirteen years as the university chaplain. Both coaches will support the university professional learning circles.
Abraham Waigi Ng’ang’a & Steve Nduto
During the project year, selected university teams will read and discuss the book, Developing Redemptive Change Agents, and complete two professional development modules offered online through the de Vries Institute for Global Faculty Development (Calvin University). Then they will each create a substantial presentation on their learning and implications for their university. The teams will meet in November 2023 to share the results of their efforts as professional learning circles.
INCHE is grateful to a foundation that seeks to remain anonymous for funding this 2023 project.
The INCHE Asia-Oceania conference titled: CHRISTIAN SCHOLARS: FORMING IDENTITY, BUILDING COMMUNITY will be held on June 20th - 22nd, 2023 with Handong Global University, in Pohang, South Korea.
Registration will open January 15th, 2023.
Concurrent paper and presentation proposals should be submitted through the conference portal by January 31, 2022 on the Google form available there.
Further conference information can be found at: https://inche.one/inche-asiaoceania-conference-2023
