12 April 2022

INCHE Europe Conference Building Community in Fractured Societies

On April 6-8 INCHE Europe members from thirteen countries met in Budapest for a joyful and informative professional development gathering. After two years of pandemic postponements, Károli Gáspár University, our INCHE member in Hungary, hosted this occasion for Christian educators from across and beyond greater Europe. Together, we explored Building Community in Fractured Societies: Challenges for Christians in Higher Education.

Plenary speakers included Dr. Govert Buijs, Abraham Kuyper Chairholder at the Vrije Universitiet; Dr. Jószef Pálfi, rector of Partium Christian University, Romania; and Dr. Claudia Beversluis, Professor of Psychology and Provost Emeritus, Calvin University. They provided analyses and reflections at the macro, meso, and micro levels related to current fracturing and educational rebuilding of Christian faith, identity, and service. Other conference participants offered scholarly presentations during concurrent breakout sessions to explore educational diversity, citizenship, and community building as well as institutional practices. The rector of the Ukrainian Institute of Arts and Sciences provided a substantial conference presentation about her institution in Bucha, Ukraine, and it’s very recent challenges. 

In mid-year 2023, articles based in the conference will be published in the International Journal of Christianity and Education.

SOURCE: INCHE

12 Colleagues from Driestar Christian University for Teacher Education also attended the conference.