Minutes of the Second meeting of the Steering Committee (SAFLI), held on December 12 and 13, 2002, at BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

PARTICIPANTS

Nobel Laureate Prof. Amartya Sen, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge University, U.K.
Prof. Jamilur Reza Choudhry, VC, BRAC University, Bangladesh.
Prof. Ershadul Bari, VC, Bangladesh Open University, Dhaka.
Dr. Jagar Dorji, Director, National Institute of Education, Bhutan.
Prof. Suresh Garg, Pro-VC, Indira Gandhi Open University, New Delhi.
Mr. Ahmed Ali Maniku, Vice-Rector, Maldives College, Malé.
Prof. Hom Nath Bhattarai, Member Secretary, U.G.S. Kathmandu.
Prof. Altaf Hussain, VC, Alama Iqbal Open University, Pakistan.
Prof. Naveed Malik, Rector, file University of Pakistan.
Prof. Uma Coomaraswamy, VC, Open University of Sri Lanka.

The meeting began with a welcome address by Prof. J R Choudhury, Vice-Chancellor, BRAC University. This was followed by stimulating address by Prof. Kamal Hossain, Chairperson, SAF Bangladesh and Ambassador Mandanjeet Singh. They highlighted the role of regional cooperation in promoting peace and development. While inaugurating the conference, Nobel Laureate Prof. Amartya Sen emphasised the need for twin commitment on reach and quality. He highlighted that creating quality consciousness and addressing issues of heritage in authentic perspective was absolutely necessary and fell within the domains of those who care for records. Prof. J R Choudhury then requested Prof. Garg to appraise members on the progress since the first Steering Committee meeting at Beaulieu-sur-Mer (France).

Prof. Garg informed the members that a meeting of all the Vice-Chancellors of Indian Open Universities was held in New Delhi on November 24 and 25, 2002 at SAF India Office and that all the Vice-Chancellors agreed to the SAFLI proposal to launch a Post-Graduate Diploma in South Asian Studies with the provision that the multipurpose flexible modules be developed so that these could be coupled with existing programmes of different universities. He also informed the members that teacher training, special education for the differently-abled, pre-primary education and extended education programmes were needed.

Due to the immediate relevance and importance of environment and sustainable development in the region, he proposed that initially a Post-Graduate Diploma in Environment and Sustainable Development (PGD-ESD) be launched as the first programme of the series of South Asia Studies. He also highlighted the need for formalising the structural mechanism to look after the academic issues and executive decision-making.

After detailed deliberations, it was agreed that:

PGD-ESD shall be developed and launched on December 13, 2003 as a part of SAFLI programme in partnership with open and distance learning and conventional institutions.

The programme shall entail 960 hours of student work spread over four core, two elective and one compulsory project courses.

All the Vice-Chancellors/Heads of Institutions shall communicate the names of the courses to the content coordinator as well as other members by December 26, 2002. The names of the courses shall be finalised through electronic consultations by January 5, 2003. The members shall work out the broad outline of the courses by January 30, 2003 and the content coordinator shall ensure coherence and continuity in various courses and place the draft before the Academic Board for its consideration and approval at the Colombo meeting.

Each university/institution shall communicate the names of three courses in order of preference, which it would like to develop by January 30, 2003.

The Academic Board (AB) shall comprise Ambassador Mandanjeet Singh, the Vice-Chancellors/Heads of the Institutions and the programme coordinators from each institution developing the programme, in addition to one member each from other institutions associated with SAFLI. The Content and IT Coordinators of SAFLI (Prof. Garg and Mr. Kidvai) shall also be the members of the Academic Board.

The Executive Board (EB) shall comprise Ambassador Mandanjeet Singh, the Vice Chancellor of one Open University from each country in addition to SAF nominee, SAFLI Content and IT Coordinators, nominee of Director-General, UNESCO. There shall be one nominee of the Chairperson of SAF Chapter for each country having no open and distance learning institute.

Each university shall identify a Programme Coordinator and an IT Coordinator. As a special case, SAF shall provide funds for developing PGD-ESD at each institution.

The programme shall be initially launched in the print mode with due A/V support. Each university may convert these materials onto CD-ROMs.

The work on online interactivity shall be taken up in the second phase as far as PGD-ESD is concerned.
All electronic communication shall be facilitated through SAF portal.

It was resolved that these proposals be placed before the SAF Chairpersons for their consideration and approval at the Colombo meeting in February 2003.