(ANS – Rome) – “Research in the service of education. The contribution of the Salesian Pontifical University and affiliated centres” is the title of a Conference to take place next Wednesday, 13 March, at the Salesian university. Lecturers from the UPS will meet for an entire day to tackle issues to do with education of the young.

As the Pope emeritus, Benedict XVI, had said on numerous occasions, education has become an emergency situation. In this second year of preparation for the Bicentenary of Don Bosco's birth, which focuses on his pedagogy, the UPS has decided to tackle the theme by mounting this Conference on education.

The day will be structured around five areas of research; scholars and specialists from the UPS will offer their research work. At the end of each report a “discussant” will react to what has been presented to stimulate discussion in the hall.

Professor Carlo Nanni, Rector Magnificus of the UPS will open proceedings. Then the first research area, “Education and Evangelisation”, will be taken up based on a research project called “Evangelisers of the young today” by Prof. Francis Vincent Anthony, lecturer in the Theology Faculty and coordinator of the interfaculty research commission. This will be followed by an address from Prof. Antonino Romano, lecturer at the St Thomas Theological Institute, Messina and a visiting lecturer at the UPS.

The second area of research – Intercultural education– will be presented by Prof. Vito Orlando from the Education Faculty, who will present the results of research he has conducted on “Attention to migrants and prospects for the Salesian mission in European multicultural society”. Prof. Luca Pandolfi, lecturer at the Pontifical Urban University and the UPS, will offer an analysis and summary of the research to encourage discussion in the hall

The afternoon session will begin with “Adolescence and interpersonal relationships”, by Prof. Antonio Dellagiulia, lecturer in the Education faculty, under the title of “The tireless weaver: the teenager and his or her significant relationships in the light of the theory of attachment”. Prof. Susanna Bianchini  from the Institute for Formation and Research for educators and Pyschotherapists (IFREP/UPS), will respond.

The fourth area of research will tackle relationships between adolescents and their families. The title of this research item to be presented by Prof. Paolo Gambini, Dean of the education Faculty, is “Families and teenage bullying”; the response and introduction to discussion will be by Prof. Zbigniew Formella, lecturer in the same faculty at the UPS.

And finally the fifth and final area of research will focus on social pedagogy under the title of “Social capital, educational action and new welfare” by Prof. Lorenzo Biagi, lecturer at the Salesian University Institute, Venice-Mestre (IUSVE). The “discussant” will be Prof. Vincenzo Salerno, lecturer in the same Institute, which is affiliated with the UPS.

Prof. Michele Pellerey, lecturer and rector emeritus of the UPS,  will sum up the day with a final address.

For further information go to: www.unisal.it

Published 11/03/2013