University of St. Augustine
In today’s society, values are increasingly difficult to assert in everyday life and work. The South African city of Johannisburg reacted to these demands: The University of St. Augustine is responding to these needs by offering a course in Christian business management over two weekends. The course is based on Kentenich’s teaching, philosophy and pedagogy and is applied to the business world as a suitable style of leadership. Hundreds of business people have taken part in the course so far. It is designed to meet the needs of managers, CEOs as well as corporate directors, HR managers and trainers. Civil servants in education, health and welfare organizations participate as well as young potential leaders.
The contents include applying Christian social teaching to the concrete situation of a country with its socio-political, multinational and multicultural problems and finding appropriate solutions. Since 1982 the course has been offered in South Africa, later also in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Ecuador, Switzerland and Spain. Thus, the course not only addresses problems and circumstances in South Africa, but also deals with management, values and society in a country-specific way.
Further contents are Father Kentenich’s teaching about leadership and how companies contribute to the common good. Also ethical norms for the economic life and the integration of values into the daily management are treated.
The course was designed by Professor Edith Raidt and is conducted by Tony de Gouveia, a clinical psychologist, and Francis Graham, a Catholic deacon and human resources businessman.
St. Augustine was founded in 1999 and is a university in Johannesburg, South Africa that provides quality and value-based education. All degrees and certificates are recognised by the South African Council on Higher Education and the South African Qualifications Authority. St Augustine is also canonically recognized as a Catholic “University” by both the South African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) and the Congregation for Catholic Education in the Vatican and is a member of IFCU (International Federation of Catholic Universities). Inspired by the Catholic intellectual tradition, St Augustine’s mission is to bring forth graduates who have learned to “think consistently to do right and serve humanity better”.