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finding a suitable distinguished scholar can be difficult. The ISSJS approach aims to train scholars from multiple institutions who show promise of eventually emerging as teachers and researchers in Jain Studies. ISSJS also encourages graduate students to choose topics in Jain Studies as possible fields of specialization. Participation in ISSJS may permit them to earn academic credit. The Summer School immersion approach is fast-track and cost effective.
ISSJS aims to bring Jain Studies to major academic institutions by seeding development of courses for all those interested, Jain as well non-Jain students. Research and publications by the scholars will make Jainism accessible to the academic community at large. The Jain institutions in North America and India will also benefit because the ISSJS scholars will be available to give lectures and seminars at these institutions. Their research will appear at international conferences. These scholars will collaborate with Jain scholars in India, opening doors of international involvement for them. This will also promote modernization of Jain Studies in India.
India is now open to internationalization, and Jainism in India also needs to become global. ISSJS will promote that by creating opportunities for scholars in India to interact with international scholars. Jain scholars will be invited to visit overseas institutions for talks, collaboration, even faculty positions. This will raise the perceived quality of Jain institutions in India. Jain youth will no longer see Jainism as an old-fashioned, impractical and isolated system, but rather a modern and globally applicable philosophy.
Jain scholars will be invited to
visit overseas institutions for talks,
collaboration, even faculty positions. This will raise the perceived quality of Jain institutions in India. Jain youth will no longer see Jainism
as an old-fashioned, impractical and isolated system, but rather
a modern and globally applicable
philosophy.
ISSJS is a non-government non-profit project led by volunteers. It is funded by a few philanthropists in USA, UK, Canada and India.
Table 1: ISSJS Progress School Duration First June - July 2005 Second June - July 2006 Third June - July 2007
Scholars 07 14 34
Regions represented USA, Canada USA, Canada, Singapore, Thailand USA, Canada, Russia, Thailand
The above table shows how the ISSJS has grown since its inception in 2005. The scholars for 2007 have been competitively selected and are getting ready to arrive in India. The 2007 participants include a complete team from University of Ottawa. The faculty and staff in India have been undergoing training to get ready.
ISSJS uses modern teaching methods. The lectures are prepared in advance by the teachers and the lecture notes are provided to the scholars on arrival. The instruction is interactive, the students are encourages to ask perceptive questions. The instructional technology used includes PowerPoint presentations using computers and projectors. Evaluations and feedback from both the teachers and students are collected and assessed daily, weekly, monthly as well as at the end of the course. The participants undertake a one week long
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PEACE THROUGH DIALOGUE
14th Biennial JAINA convention 2007 Jain Education Intemational
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