The challenges of Catholic universities in a changing world
We live in times in which Europe faces epochal challenges, including the demographic crisis, the digital transformation, as well as the new fragilities of young people. In this context, universities, especially Catholic ones, have a strong responsibility: to remain pillars of an integral humanism, fostering a dialogue that transcends borders and disciplines. In other words, to be open spaces in constant dialogue with society, institutions and businesses. The task facing the university system is twofold: on the one hand, to enhance the potential of the new generations by offering them opportunities; on the other, to develop critical thinking capable of proposing innovative paradigms.
There are three interrelated complexities to be addressed. The first concerns demographic change and its impact on our universities, including the risk of declining enrolment. One figure above all describes the extent of the transformation taking place: Europe will lose some 32.8 million young people over the course of the century, becoming an increasingly old continent (Eurostat, 2026). In contrast, Africa is experiencing rapid population growth and, with 70 per cent of the population under 30, is the continent with the highest percentage of young people in the world. These trends require, on the one hand, a rethinking of the educational offer not only for the younger generations but also for adults by responding to the growing demand for executive education and lifelong learning, and on the other hand, the strengthening of alliances with African universities.
The second dimension concerns digital transformation. Empirical evidence in this regard points to risks and opportunities. Some evidence suggests that although artificial intelligence may improve students' performance in performing specific tasks, it does not necessarily imply progress in learning. In fact, entrusting cognitive tasks to chatbots carries the risk of metacognitive laziness and disengagement, which in the long run could hinder skill acquisition. Other studies show instead that artificial intelligence used with a pedagogical purpose brings sustained improvements in learning (OECD, Digital Education Outlook 2026). Thus, analyses that call universities to rethink the very experience of knowledge: encouraging not passive use of artificial intelligence, but critical thinking and creative interaction with technologies.
The third dimension focuses on the fragility of young people and how to turn it into resilience. According to the Association of European Universities, 40% of students in the European Union are facing difficulties related to their well-being or mental health, and it is estimated that one in five students suffers from a mental disorder (Nightline Europe, 2025). The well-being of students therefore becomes a priority.
A key to coping with such complexities is to look at education as a choral work. Pope Leo XIV, in his apostolic letter Drawing New Maps of Hope, urges us to face the new challenges and put the community at the centre because 'relationship comes before opinion, the person before the programme'. It follows that the educating community opposes all forms of individualism, making relationship the primary educational space. The human person is in fact intrinsically relational: one is born, one grows, one lives in the 'communio'. Therefore, education cannot be an individualistic or solitary path.
