Working within networks, and collaborating for excellence: Towards the global competitiveness of the Jesuit higher education network

The global competitiveness literature has focused traditionally on nation-states. Beyond nation-states, the concepts have been applied to regional groups (for instance the EU), multinational enterprises, firm clusters and even universities. This paper seeks to extend a modified version of the concepts, to the analysis of the Jesuit Higher Education Network (JHEN). The aim is to explore how the JHEN can work within itself, collaborate with members and in the long run transform herself into a globally competitive educational network that sets the global agenda for the formation of global citizens that ‘lead in the creation of a more sustainable, inclusive, just and reconciled world’. The JHEN collectively possesses most of the building blocks required for global excellence. But how do we tap and integrate these building blocks to form a dynamic and sustainably competitive network across borders? As noted by the Father General, “we become more insignificant” in a globalized world if we do not transcend our national borders. To this end, strategies that might leverage the knowledge bases of individual institutions into a dynamic whole are discussed using a conceptual model that could help the JHEN towards becoming the preferred training ground, not only for business leaders, but also government leaders, policy makers and entrepreneurs, among others. The collaboration of the global citizens formed by the network could set the world on fire by restoring the quality of human life and the breakdown of society.