More than 200,000 educational institutions worldwide are operated by the Catholic Church. It is the world largest non-governmental provider of education. Nearly 57 million people attend its schools, kindergartens, colleges and seminaries. 

As a result in many cases the Church contributes significantly to global humanisation. It is part of the theological debate to what extent these educational activities are to be characterized as missionary in a narrow sense. 

Furthermore education is a key issue when it comes to enforcing global justice. Poverty reduction and political-economical transformation of (inter)national social frameworks require serious efforts in the field of education. Many committed Christians as well as church organisations, in one way or another, are involved in projects and activities of this kind. 

The IWM's section for Mission and Education thus focusses on three research topics:

1. The Church's role as a provider of education

2. The missiological localisation of the concept of education

3. Education and global justice

In charge: Simon Neubert (neubert(at)iwm.sankt-georgen(dot)de)