UNESCO Chair on Community-based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education Established

[Following is Jamia press release dated Dec. 10, 2012] 

The Society for Participatory Research in Asia (SPRI) in collaboration with the Department of Social Work, Jamia Millia Islamia organized the launch of UNESCO Chair on community-based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education and a symposium on this theme on December 10, 2012.

The purpose of the event was to promote Community-Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education mandated by UNESCO with a view to strengthen the linkages between communities and institutions of higher education.

It has been arranged that Dr. Budd Hall at University of Victoria, Candada and Dr. Rajesh Tandon, Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), New Delhi are co-chairs, in a unique and innovative south-north partnership between academia and civil society.

The participants of the event were from different background, such as government officials, academicians of various universities across the world, civil societies, researchers, etc.

Prof. Zubair Meenai, Head, UGC-Centre of Studies, Department of Social Work, Jamia Millia Islamia delivered the Welcome Address. The session was started by Dr. Budd Hall and  Dr. Rajesh Tandon, with an introduction on UNESCO Chair.

Some of the special address on the issue were made by Mr. Najeeb Jung, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia, Dr. Alisher Umarov, Chief and Programme Specialist for Education, UNESCO, New Delhi, Ms. Sheela Patel, Chair Person, PRIA, Dr. David Turpin, President, University of Victoria and His Excellency Mr. Stewart Beck, Canadian High Commissioner to India.

The Chief Guest for the event was Dr. Narendra Jadhav, Member, Planning Commission who congratulated both the co-Chairs and  emphasized on the importance of the linkages between Community and Higher Education.

There was a Panel Discussion on “Fostering Social Responsibility in Higher Education in India”. It was chaired by Dr. Meenakshi Gopinath, Principal, Lady Sri Ram College, Delhi University. The panelists were Prof. Pankaj Mittal, Vice-Chancellor, BPS Mahilavishwa Vidyalaya, Haryana, Mr. Jayant Kumar, Director, CASA, Dr. Azra Abidi, Assistant Professor, Jamia Millia Islamia and Prof. Devi Prasad, Director, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

It was full day event. There were around one hundred participants who attended the Launch and the Symposium that followed.