Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities (SACRU)

Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities (SACRU) is an international network of universities dedicated to research and teaching excellence, engagement and global collaboration informed by Catholic social teaching. Is made up of the Australian Catholic University (Australia), Boston College (USA), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Chile), Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Sophia University (Japan), Universidade Católica Portuguesa (Portugal), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Italy), the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia) and Universitat Ramon Llull (Spain).

The Vision of SACRU is to become a leader network of catholic universities which supports leadership and education for the Common Good. Its mission is to foster global cooperation among research-intensive Catholic universities with the goal of advancing knowledge and higher education for the common good.

Some of the main objectives of the alliance are:

• Promote research, education and internationalization by inspired  by the model of social Catholicism
• Promote and facilitate the collaboration of partners, especially in the fields of research and teaching.
• Facilitate mobility programmes between the communities of the partner universities.
• Identify and share good practices in management, evaluation of results or the design of professional careers, especially for researchers.
• Organise workshops, conferences and other types of events to establish collaborative links between the communities of the different institutions in the network.
• Identify and offer support to researchers at different stages of their professional career.

RELATED NEWS

• Students and teachers reflect on the SDGs with "Driving Global Change - SACRU Contribution to a Sustainable Future (25.06.2025)
• FUCE renews its board of directors, with Elena Beccalli as its new president (10.06.2025)
• One Health for a Better Future: SACRU and FAO united for global food safety (02.12.2024)
• Opportunity for URL research staff: "SACRU Research Mobility Funding" (12.09.2024)
• The rector of the URL participates in the meeting of the SACRU Governing Board, in which Isabel Capeloa Gil has been elected president (01.08.2025)
• URL faculty contribute to thinking about education for environmental sustainability within the framework of the SACRU alliance (15.11.2023)
• Research published on Artificial Intelligence in the framework of the SACRU Alliance (15.11.2023)
• Presented in Rome the research “More Women’s Leadership for a Better World” (10.03.2023) 
• The Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities (SACRU) celebrates its launch day (18.12.2020)
• The Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities (SACRU) is formally constituted and the rector of the URL is chosen as its first president (09.07.2020)
• Barcelona Declaration of the Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities (SACRU) (04.11.2019)

SACRU SDG INSIGHTS

Throughout the 2024-2025 academic year, the Alliance universities developed a project with periodic publications focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Each reflection featured an article by a faculty member and a video commentary by a student from one of the member universities.

These reflections, which were disseminated through the SACRU website and the member universities' social media and communication channels, were ultimately published in a compendium entitled Driving Global Change – SACRU Contribution to a Sustainable Future. 

This document reflects an international, interdisciplinary, and intergenerational approach with a diversity of perspectives when working together to address the challenges of the SDGs, responding to SACRU's mission to foster global cooperation among Catholic research universities to advance knowledge and higher education for the common good.

CHECK OUT THE PUBLICATION HERE >>

SACRU Global Insights

Between 2022 and 2023, SACRU member universities developed the SACRU Global Insights project, an initiative consisting of a reflection by expert professors and researchers from SACRU member universities in line with the United Nations International Days and the activities of these universities. This proposal is published monthly in the form of a virtual portfolio on the SACRU website and is disseminated in the media and on social networks.

• Global Day of Diplomacy for Peace (Abril, 2023)
  Reflections for the International Day of Multilateralism
  Written by Oscar Mateos, delegate of the Rector of the URL for the promotion of the 2030 Agenda
• Safer Internet Day (January, 2023)
  Ethics as a compass: reflections for the Safer Internet Day 
  Written by Xavier Vilasís, Full Professor at La Salle-URL Engineering Department
• International Human Solidarity Day (December, 2022)
  The University saved my life 
  Written by Isabel Vergara, Communication Director of the Pere Tarrés Foundation
• COP27 UN Climate Change Conference (November, 2022)
  Investing in clean energy technologies now to save the planet and achieve equality and peace: reflections on the eve of COP27
  Written by Núria Llaverías, Climate Action Coordinator at IQS-URL
• International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (October, 2022)
  The global response lies in expansive and brave welfare policies
   Written by Paco López, Professor from Pere Tarrés Faculty of Social Education and Social Work-URL
• International Day of Peace (September, 2022)
  There is no harmony in racism: SACRU message for the International Day of Peace
  Written by Albert Caramés Boada, Associate Professor at the Blanquerna School of Communication and International Relations-URL
• World Population Day (July, 2022)
  World Population Day, people on the planet and inequalities grow  
  Written by Valeria Bello, Associate Professor at the Blanquerna School of Communication and International Relations-URL
• World Food Safety Day (June, 2022)
  SACRU reflections on World Food Safety Day
  Written by Alícia Orta Ramírez, Blanquerna School of Health Science, and Xavier Ortiz Almirall, IQS
• International Insight on Family (May, 2022)
  Reflections on Family Migration
  Written by Carlos Pérez-Testor and Anna Maria Vilaregut Puigdesens, Blanquerna School of Psychology, Education and Sport Sciences, Couples and Family Research Group.