Higher Education and Post-Graduate Studies
One of the most sought after tasks which Heralds are called upon to carry-out is teaching. This obviously requires a large pool of qualified teachers with the requisite academic credentials and who are dedicated to this task. While the various academic institutes established by Heralds of the Gospel, such as, IFAT, ITTA, IFTE and ILS, are undoubtedly of great importance and serve a useful role, their current status still does not allow them to award post-graduate degrees.
Studying at other universities…
To make up for this lacuna, members of Heralds of the Gospel are currently matriculated in pontifical universities in Rome and other places around the world. Where a student is enrolled depends on their current assignment within the Heralds and the specific subject area of interest. As of July 2013, twenty-three Heralds have obtained doctorates and another eighteen have obtained licentiates or master’s degrees in theology, philosophy, canon law, psychology, pedagogy and bioethics, while eighty-two others are currently working towards a post-graduate degree.
The major universities and institutes of higher learning where they are studying include:
- Pontificia Università Gregoriana in Rome, Italy;
- Pontificia Università San Tommaso D’Aquino (the Angelicum) in Rome, Italy;
- Pontificia Università della Santa Croce in Rome, Italy;
- Pontificia Università Lateranense in Rome, Italy;
- L’Università Pontificia Salesiana in Rome, Italy;
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon, Portugal;
- Universidade de Lisboa (ULISBOA) in Lisbon, Portugal;
- Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias in Lisbon, Portugal;
- Universidade do Minho in Braga, Portugal;
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago, Chile;
- Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB) in Medellin, Colombia;
- Universidad Catolica de Colombia in Bogotá, Colombia;
- Universidad Metropolitana de Asunción in Asunción, Paraguay;
- Centro Universitário São Camilo in São Paulo, Brazil;
- Pontifício Instituto Superior de Direito Canônico in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;
- Facoltà di Diritto Canonico San Pio X (Marcianum) in Venice, Italy;
- Facultad de Teología Pontificia y Civil de Lima in Lima, Peru;
…in order to build our own!
An institutional dream of Heralds of the Gospel is to establish its own university, where the entire curriculum would be tied to the particular style and charism of the institution. The post graduate studies undertaken by the members of Heralds of the Gospel is an important step toward achieving this goal.
An additional benefit for the schools
In addition to this, many members also obtain the requisite teaching credentials appropriate for the country in which they will exercise their profession. This allows them to teach subjects such as geography, history, sociology, mathematics, languages, computer science, biology, and so forth. This likewise facilitates each respective educational institution to obtain the necessary accreditation from the proper civil authority.
The principal institutions where these members are currently studying include:
- Universidade de Lisboa (ULISBOA) in Lisbon, Portugal;
- Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias in Lisbon, Portugal;
- Universidade do Minho in Braga, Portugal;
- Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic;
- Universidade Paulista in Brasilia, Brazil;
- Universidade Estácio de Sá in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;
- Universidade Norte do Paraná (UNOPAR), in Londrina, Brazil;
- Centro Universitário Ítalo Brasileiro (UniÍtalo) in São Paulo, Brazil;
- Centro Universitário Claretiano (CEUCLAR) in São Paulo, Brazil;
- Centro Universitário Internacional (UNINTER) in São Paulo, Brazil;
- Faculdade de Computação de Montes Claro (FACOMP) in Montes Claros, Brazil;
- Universidad Santo Tomás in Bogotá, Colombia;
- Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL) in Loja, Ecuador;
- Instituto de Formación Teológica por Internet (IFTI) in Santiago, Chile;