The Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia (ACUCA) Management Conference 2015, emphasises the implementation of Christian value education in the midst of plural and multi-cultural societies. This theme is in line with the 2014 Biennial Conference that focused its attention on value education that plays a crucial role in a successful education in the 21st century, with character, spirituality, moral and ethical dimensions.
The ACUCA Management Conference was held on October 22-24 2015 in the School of Post-graduate Studies of Parahyangan Catholic University and the Savoy Homann Bidakara Hotel with the theme “Dialogue with the Cultures: Implementing Values Education in (the) Multicultural Asia”. 94 participants from 60 Christian Universities from Hongkong, India, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia. Observers came from APTIK, Universities under APTIK and various Christian universities in Indonesia.
ACUCA was established on December 6-9, 1967 at a conference in Manila. Parahyangan Catholic University (UNPAR) currently serves in a secretarial role of ACUCA. The Rector of Parahyangan Catholic University serves in an ex officio capacity as the president of ACUCA 2014-2016 period.
The conference was opened by two keynote speakers. Professor Francis-Vincent Anthony SDB. STD (Salesian Pontifical University) and Professor Dr. Bambang Sugiharto) were appointed as the keynote speakers.
According to Professor Francis-Vincent Anthony SDB, STD. The implementation of value education requires special attention to be paid to its formation and the educators’ qualification. Quoting from his book entitled “Religion and Conflict Attribution”, he stated that educators need to push their pupils to be actively involved in a forum; form collaborative communities in academic surroundings; give good example and help their pupils to conform to existing ethics; be involved in argumentative discourse with their pupils; be involved with the pupils in intercultural communication; be involved in dialogues about similarities and differences between religious groups; and show critical awareness to the pupils about all forms of existing social discrepancies.
The event was followed by discussion sessions with three distinctive themes: the first was “Dialogue with Local Cultures.” Presented by Dra. Novita Dewi M.S., M.A. (Hons) (Parahyangan Catholic University) the second was “Dialogue with Other Religions” presented by Rev. Esther Wakeman Ph.D. (Payap University) and the third was “Dialogue with Urban Societies”. Presented by Dr. Ruth M. Grubel (Kwansei Gakuin University). Participants also had the opportunity to watch an angklung show at Saung Angklung Udjo and retrace the steps of the historical Asian Africa Conference held in Bandung 60 years ago.
