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INITIATIVES & PROGRESS IN JAIN STUDIES. Dr . Sulekh C. Jain Chairman Governing Council, International School for Jain Studies (ISJS) . Many Initiatives . We are working with Several universities in North America to promote Jain Studies.
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INITIATIVES & PROGRESS IN JAIN STUDIES Dr. SulekhC. Jain Chairman Governing Council, International School for Jain Studies (ISJS)
Many Initiatives • We are working with Several universities in North America to promote Jain Studies. • Claremont Lincoln University (CLU) in Claremont, California is the main focus. • ISJS, JAINA, JCSC signed MOUs and the collaboration was inaugurated on September 6, 2011. • A grant of $16 K from Uberoi last year became a catalyst and we all are grateful. • Two web sites: http://jain.claremontlincoln.org/ www.jainstudies.org
INITIATED A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH AT CLU • Program guided by the practitioners of faith. • Several persons from Jain Community provide leadership and devote nearly full time as volunteers. • Good support from JCSC ( Jain Center of Southern California) and community at large. • Word is getting around in the academia and the community. Center for Jain Studies established at CLU on October 8, 2012
CURRENT & FUTURE PROGRAMS at CLU TWO DAY ANNUAL CONFERENCES ON APPLIED DHARMA • First International Conference on Bioethics August 2012. Nine religious traditions were represented. • Women’s Perspectives in the Dharma Traditions, August 2013. Funding secured. Planning has begun. All religious traditions will be invited to present papers. • VRG Memorial lecture on Anekantavaad/ conflict resolution / application in Law and Justice (in planning stages) in April 2013. Two annual conferences
PROGRAMS AT CLU , contd. GRADUTE LEVEL COURSE OFFERINGS • Fall 2012 , Bioethics, (This is being offered right now) • Spring 2013 , Applied Ahimsa. • Fall 2013, Women’s perspectives in Dharma Traditions.(will be offered following the Women’s conference) Graduate level course each semester
TRAINING STUDENTS & FACULTY • 13 Grad students are alumni of ISJS India; seven went this year. • Planning on 6-10 Grad students to ISSJS 2013 in India • Selection via Essay competition. • A few of them are working on their PhDs. • Every one writes and submits research paper. • We pay airfare, board, lodging, tuition and cash stipends. • 15 High School Teachers to India for Ahimsa Studies. Aim is to develop core competency
JAIN STUDIES PROGRAMS AT CLU • AHIMSA DAY CELEBRATIONS ON OCTOBER 2nd. This will be an annual event. • "Ahimsa in the face of disaster: Jain responses to the Partition of India in 1947“ RESEARCH PROJECT; $25 K funding secured & project director appointed. • SUMMER CAMP FOR JAIN YOUTHS in 2013 Sponsored by Jain Center of Southern California.
JAIN STUDIES PROGRAM AT CLU • ON LINE LEARNING & COURSE MATERIAL RECORDINGS. Started last year and continuing. • MAINTENANCE OF CLU JAIN STUDIES WEB SITE. This is done regularly and is current • SCHOLARS SEMINAR AT 2013 JAINA CONVENTION in DETROIT, JULY 2013 ; Dr. Philip Clayton (Provost CLU) and several CLU /ISJS scholars will be invited. • CREATION OF JAIN SACRED SPACE AT CLU CAMPUS; A small Jain Derasar /temple in marble from India or in Styrofoam. Goal to complete this prior to 2nd October 2013.
JAIN STUDIES AT CLU • SPECIAL LECTURES AT CLU BY VISITING JAIN SCHOLARS; Prof Kusum Jain ( Dean Philosophy Dept. at Rajasthan U) last month. • JAIN SCHOLAR /ACADEMICS DATA BASE; We need to populate this data with about 50-75 academics . • APPOINTMENT OF PROGRAM COORDINATOR AT CLU; Lidiya Potapenko is hired. • ANNUAL MEET & GREET OF JAIN ACADEMICS in Chicago on November 18, 2012. Chicago Jain society host.
JAIN STUDIES AT CLU • GUIDEBOOK FOR STUDENTS GOING TO INDIA TO ISSJS; developing a comprehensive guideline book (manual) about preparations for going to India. To be completed next month. • BUILDING LIBRAY HOLDINGS; Donated nearly 500 books, JAINA E-Library Data and Paintings
JAIN STUDIES AT CLU, Misc. items • CLU Provost visited ISJS in India in January 2012. • Participated in a 2 day Parliament of World Religions conference on Educating Religious Leaders. • Screening of Hindi movie “ Do Aankhenaur Bara Haath” in near future. • Frequent visits to JCSC temple by CLU staff and Students and Jains to CLU. CLU & Jains have developed strong relationship, bond and trust
A BIG THANK YOU TO UBEROI • Uberoi and ISJS have developed a good working relationship. • Always thinking of new projects. • This can serve as a role model to work with other universities. • Hindu community signed MOU with CLU on August 24, 2012. • Sikh Community is working to do the same soon. • With CLU+ LMU+USC + UC Irvine + Cal Poly Pomona (Ahimsa Center), a nucleus/hub of Indic studies is developing.