Sindh-Sydney possess striking parallels in history and heritage: Dr. Burfat/Prof. Jakelin
A highly informative and intellectually-enriching lecture program on the theme ‘Prospects of Collaboration Between SU and The University of Sydney in the Indigenous Culture Perspective’ was organized by The Bureau Of Students, Tutorial Guidance, Counseling Services & Co-Curricular Activities (STAGS), University of Sindh, Jamshoro at Senate Hall, Vice Chancellor Secretariat, University of Sindh, Jamshoro; which was presided over by SU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Fateh Muhammad Burfat; whereas, Professor Jakelin Troy, Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research, The University of Sydney, Australia was the Keynote Speaker.
Dr. Burfat in his presidential remarks said that he saw solid prospects of developing sustainable academic linkage of Sindh University with The University of Sydney; adding that Prof. Troy could play pivotal role towards realization of the given prospects.
“Up until now the research focus at both the varsities has been on non-people aspects of history, heritage, culture and civilization. Hence, research with people-spotlight remains unattended. If proposals are developed in the said facets; these will enormously enable both the institutions to plug research gaps in Pakistani as well as Australian contexts”, Dr. Burfat said.
Dr. Burfat said more research was needed to be done with indigenous profile of Sindh and Sydney as its epicenters.
“Pakistan and Australia are no longer far from one eachother. As for as physical distance is concerned; it may hold true. But after the advent of social media apps the world has come to stay in contact twenty four/seven; with all people as citizens of the great globe”, the vice chancellor stressed.
Dr. Burfat expressed pleasure over hosting a scholar, linguist, social anthropologist and archaeologist of as high an eminence as Dr. Troy at SU. He thanked her for her time, visit and talk.
Prof. Jakelin, in her lecture as Keynote Speaker, said that she had been visiting various venues in Sindh since the day before, and to her great pleasure, she had come to discover striking commonalities between Sindh and Sydney, Pakistan and Australia.
Prof. Troy further said that SU seemed to be mini-Sindh, for it contained the original, historical, cultural, anthropological flavors of the soil along with rich reflective patterns of landscape, tile design and architecture.
“I am not alpine. I come from parts of Australia where waters flow and where they have also begun to shrink. I see these two parallels characterize Sindh too”, Prof. Troy maintained.
She said there was plenty of scope wherein SU and The Sydney University could embark on academic and professional engagement through collaborative research initiatives in multi-disciplinary spectrum; and that scholars from both sides could also obtain transactional grants in the given context.
Focal Person SU Thatta Campus Prof. Dr. Sarfaraz Hussain Solangi presented brief on how already established SU Centre for Indus Valley Integrated Studies (CIVIS) could be instrumental towards materializing and accelerating the possibilities of networking between SU and The University of Sydney to intensify research activism on Indus Valley and other world archaeological sites.
Director STAGS and event-organizer Dr. Sumera Umrani presented detailed introduction of the university and also impressively moderated the proceedings of the program.
Dr. Abdul Razzaq Channa, Dr. Rafique Ahmed Lashari, Dr. Asadullah Buledi, Dr. Imran Ali Sandano, Dr. Irfan Ahmed Shaikh, Ms. Waheeda Baloch and others were in attendance at the event.
Prior to the lecture program, Prof. Jakelin spent busy time at the campus as she visited Institute of Sindhology to witness its cultural museum gallery and historical research library, Institute of Art and Design to behold on-going aptitude test for admissions, and Institute of Information and Communication Technology to see Techno Fest 2019 where student projects were on display.
