Mission Statement

Approved by the Rector's Council on September 25, 2025

Historical notes

In 1551, St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, opened a free school of grammar and Christian doctrine in Rome, known for many centuries as the Roman College. The first humanities chairs were soon joined by those of philosophy and theology, which in 1556 were granted the right to award academic degrees. From the day of its inception, the Roman College has stood at the crossroads between Church and society, between faith and culture, faith and justice, faith and science. In 1873, Pius IX ordered the university to change its name from The Roman College to the Pontifical Gregorian University.

On May 19, 2024, the two previously associated institutes, the Pontifical Biblical Institute and the Pontifical Oriental Institute, were integrated into the Pontifical Gregorian University, added to the Collegium Maximum (the original part of the university).  The new statutes, prepared over several years were approved by the Dicastery for Culture and Education on February 11, 2024. The three missions are now united in a common vision, briefly outlined below. 

The Collegium Maximum retains the academic units of the former Gregorian University, including faculties, institutes, and centers (https://www.unigre.it/it/ua/le-missioni/collegium-maximum/).

The Pontifical Biblical Institute (PIB) was founded by Pius X in 1909 so that, with its international character, it would be “a center of higher studies of Sacred Scripture in the city of Rome to promote biblical doctrine and all related studies as effectively as possible” (https://www.biblico.it/storia.html).

The Pontifical Oriental Institute was founded in 1917 by Pope Benedict XV as “an academy, or theological university, dedicated exclusively to the study of the various theological subjects developed in the East.” In 1922, Pope Pius XI entrusted it to the Society of Jesus, so that it might preserve its specific mission of service to the Eastern Churches (https://www.unigre.it/it/ua/le-missioni/pontificio-istituto-orientale/).

The Pontifical Gregorian University confronts today’s challenges by adapting to changing times  while maintaining the spirit of St. Ignatius and remaining consistent with its historical roots and missions.

Vision

The Pontifical Gregorian University is characterized, like the Catholic Church, by its diversity, which includes the tradition of the Latin Church and the traditions of the Eastern Churches. This plurality of experiences and spiritual richness contributes to the formation of an academic community where the people of God as a whole are represented. In this context, social, intellectual, and spiritual values are cultivated with the aim of promoting deeper mutual understanding and respect, in order to respond to the needs of an increasingly interconnected world characterized by an extraordinary variety of cultures and histories (cf. General Statutes of the Pontifical Gregorian University, Vision, 1-2; 5-6). The Pontifical Gregorian University is committed to fostering dialogue and collaboration between individuals of different cultures, encouraging peaceful coexistence and harmony among people, in full harmony with the words of Pope Francis: “Humanize the knowledge of faith, [...] ignite and rekindle the spark of grace in humanity, cultivating transdisciplinarity in research and teaching” (cf. Francis, Address given on the occasion of his visit to the Pontifical Gregorian University, November 5, 2024).

With this vision, the Pontifical Gregorian University promotes a strong international dimension, involving students, faculty, and all staff. Internationality is seen and consciously experienced as a precious resource for responding to the new challenges facing the whole Church, particularly those emerging from the “existential peripheries” (cf. General Statutes of the Pontifical Gregorian University, Vision, 5). In this context, the Gregorian actively engages in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, strengthening its mission of openness and inclusiveness.

In its commitment to pursuing academic excellence, the Pontifical Gregorian University not only promotes education and research, but also dedicates itself to a wide range of “third mission” activities, which allow it to share the knowledge generated within the academic community. This knowledge is understood as a public good, of a social, educational, and spiritual nature, intended to serve the society in which we live and humanity as a whole. (https://www.unigre.it/it/universita/chi-siamo/terza-missione/ )

The Pontifical Gregorian University supports and encourages synergies between all members of its university community, with full respect for the roles and functions of each member. Sharing a commitment to autonomy, the dignity of work, and responsibility, the Gregorian promotes a culture of service in which each person is called to contribute to the collective well-being, for a journey of growth and formation (cf. General Statutes of the Pontifical Gregorian University, art. 8, § 1).

Purpose

According to the General Statutes of the Pontifical Gregorian University, “The Pontifical Gregorian University [...] intends to serve the universal Church through the missions of the Collegium Maximum, the Pontifical Biblical Institute, and the Pontifical Oriental Institute” (cf. General Statutes of the Pontifical Gregorian University, Vision, 1-2; 5-6), which are called to maintain “their historical missions entrusted to them by the Pope and their identity, while at the same time taking advantage of greater integration of resources and creating new academic opportunities” (https://orientale.it/it/chi-siamo).