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International Summer School for Jain Studies had conducted four stand alone programmes consisting of sixty scholars and students:
A) ISSJS in Bangkok, at Mahidol University: This programme was held from April 25th to May 15th. A total of fifteen scholars including faculty, students as well as some businessmen, and media persons from USA now settled in Bangkok and studying Buddhism were enrolled for the programme. The teaching faculty included two Jain Scholars from India and a few Thai ISJS alumni.
B) ISSJS in India: Here three different programmes were offered in the months of May, June and July. These were:
a) Ottawa University Programme One three week programme was specially designed for Prof. Anne Vallely's Class at University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. The class size was of thirteen and included Graduate and Post-Graduate students. Prof. Anne Vallely herself traveled to India to facilitate the programme.
b) Three-week programme for eighteen undergrads students from eight universities in USA and Canada.
c) Six-week programme for Grad students, Post Docs and full time faculty. This was an advanced level course in Jainism. A total of fourteen scholars participated and they came from USA, Canada, Czech Republic, Thailand, Norway, India, South Korea, Denmark and Slovenia representing eight universities.
The ISSJS programme is intended to provide an opportunity to pursue experiential and academic Jain studies in India during the summer months to scholars in philosophy, religion, anthropology, theology and South Asian studies associated with the recognized university systems. During this period the participants study in the cities of Mumbai, Jaipur, Varanasi and Delhi (including Hastinapur) and also undertake a few one day pilgrimage tours to holy Jain centres.
The course of study follows a daily schedule of academic lectures by notable Jain scholars covering a range of topics from Jain history,
108 | Jains in India and Abroad
