In a groundbreaking moment for the North-West University (NWU) and global service-learning, Beatrix “Bibi” Bouwman, director of sustainability and community impact (SCI), met His Holiness Pope Francis on 9 November 2024 during the V UNISERVITATE Global Symposium in the Vatican City.
This meeting marked a significant milestone in the NWU’s partnership with UNISERVITATE, a global network fostering community engagement in higher education institutions.
UNISERVITATE, an international initiative dedicated to institutionalising service-learning in Catholic higher education institutions, shares core principles with the NWU’s SCI mission. Founded on collaboration, respect for diversity and collective creation, UNISERVITATE promotes holistic education that combines academic excellence with ethical values – values deeply embedded in the NWU's teaching strategies and community engagement policies.
"At the NWU we believe in education that goes beyond the classroom, fostering a sense of social responsibility and ethical leadership," Bibi remarked. "Our collaboration with UNISERVITATE reflects this commitment."
Bibi has been a key figure in UNISERVITATE’s academic sounding board since 2019, leveraging her experience as the former chairperson of the South African Higher Education Community Engagement Forum. Representing the African hub based at Tangaza University in Nairobi, she provided strategic leadership to enhance service-learning initiatives across the continent. "The project aims to build hubs where meaningful community service can thrive, creating a sustainable impact worldwide," Bibi explained.
The V UNISERVITATE Symposium, hosted by LUMSA University, culminated in a private audience with Pope Francis. The two-day event featured discussions on institutionalising solidarity service-learning, with workshops and plenary sessions exploring its intersections with the Global Compact on Education and the Sustainable Development Goals. Bibi co-presented a workshop on “Changing of the Heart and Mind”, a concept central to the transformative approach of solidarity service-learning.
During the audience, Bibi presented Pope Francis with a special gift: a set of the NWU’s famous pens, crafted by Prof Louis du Preez from the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management.
"The pens, made from purpleheart wood (Peltogyne paniculata), turn purple when exposed to sunlight. This wood, indigenous to South America – the Pope’s homeland – symbolised our respect and connection," she explained. The pens were presented in an engraved box, a token of the NWU’s deep admiration and goodwill.
"We shook hands, and I conveyed our best regards and good wishes on behalf of the NWU," Bibi shared. The personal interaction left a lasting impression, reinforcing the shared commitment to education that transcends borders.
The collaboration between the NWU and UNISERVITATE highlighted the universal power of service-learning to foster empathy, leadership and community engagement. Despite South Africa having no Catholic universities, the involvement of the NWU underscored its commitment to global dialogue and sustainable impact. “This partnership recognised the NWU’s expertise and reinforced our approach to meaningful community engagement,” Bibi noted.
The meeting with Pope Francis was more than a ceremonial event; it symbolised a shared commitment to education that transforms lives. For Bibi and the NWU, it was an opportunity to showcase South Africa’s contributions to global service-learning and to draw inspiration from one of the world’s most influential moral leaders.
As the symposium concluded, the message was clear: education is not just about knowledge, but about cultivating hearts and minds ready to serve a better world. For the NWU and its global partners, the journey towards a more compassionate and just society has taken a profound step forward.
Bibi Bouwman and His Holiness Pope Francis. She presented the Pope with a special gift.
Credito: ©2024 Servicio Fotografico Vaticano
A special gift to Pope Francis: a set of the NWU’s famous pens, crafted by Prof Louis du Preez from the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management.
The pens, made from purpleheart wood (Peltogyne paniculata), turn purple when exposed to sunlight.
Academic sounding board members present: Andrew Furco, Leticia López Villareal, Daniela Gargantini, Bibi Bouwman, Arantzazu Martinez Odria, and Bojana Culum.
African hub leaders and rectors of Catholic universities from Africa.
