Second Annual Meeting

at Banasthali University
(within the framework of the IBIES Conference)

Minutes of the Meeting of May 3rd, 2013 6.30 pm-8.30 pm

Participants

• Prof. Dr. Beate Zimpelmann, Hochschule Bremen, President of Association
• Corinne Ghorbani, Hochschule Bremen
• Dr. Uwe Skoda, Aarhus University
• Donatella Dolcini, University of Milan
• Heike Trost, Reutlingen University
• Aleksandra Jaskólska, University of Warsaw

Agenda

1. 1. ExpansionoftheAssociation
   2. MeetinginAutumn2013
   3. AwarenessoftheAssociation/Finance
   4. Miscellaneous

1. Expansion of the Association

All members agree that the Association should enlarge and accept new members (at short term: max. 2 to 3).

Pros for extension of Association

• • Integration of new members into new projects adds stamina to the organisation
  • Extension enables the Association to better defend its interests against other competing groups
  • Dialogue with other centres (concerning objectives, strategies, etc) facilitates new approaches and initiatives
  • Heterogeneity of group means greater variety of modules offered, being among other aspects a benefit for teaching mobility

Cons against new members

• • Too many different groups means too many varying positions, rendering discussions more difficult and complex
  • The organisation becomes less flexible and more complicated to handle

Heike: ok, but we should first think about a structure within the existing Association, then think about extending.
Uwe:  we had a similar discussion in Warsaw one year ago. The Association has established a Charta already. The next step is to invite potential new members. We should select universities which fit (size, projects) and avoid the dominance of major universities in order no to create an inbalance among the members.

Warsaw suggests the Dublin City University and the University of Leuven. Jakub already gave very positive information on these two universities.
Both universities are very reliable and close partners of the University of Warsaw. Leuven is a very open university and has a centre which focuses on India.
Dublin (represented by John Doll) is very familiar with EU projects. It has an India initiative (Stream: Politics and Social Sciences).
Bremen suggests Aix-en-Provence. The university is a very good contact of the Master in European Studies (Prof. Lehmann).

2. Meeting in Autumn 2013
The participants decide to next meet at the University of Milan in the second half of November 2013. Donatella is responsible for the location. The organisation of the meeting (agenda, invitations etc.) remains the task of Bremen (Presidency).
The meeting should last for two days.

Tentative agenda

1. Presentation of each member
2. Establishments of new concepts
3. VisibilityofEAISC(see also3.)

a) Presentation of each member

Each member should present its running and future projects concerning India/ Contemporary Indian Studies, its focuses etc.
The suggested three potential new members Dublin, Leuven and Aix should be invited to the meeting and present themselves as well.

b) Establishment of new concepts

Summarising the presentations of each member should enable the Association members to establish new concepts and projects.

c) HowtoincreasethevisibilityofEAISC Content of the website:

• • Presentation and description of each member, presentations of established and future projects -> promote our expertise.
  • BA and MA theses

3. Awareness of EAISC/Finance
Uwe will ask the IBIES’ webmaster, a staff member of IIT Madras, whether he would be interested in working for EAISC.
The website master should be honoured for his work. Is a 200 Euro membership p.a. feasible? This should be clarified internally by each European India Study centre with its finance department.
General accounting remains the task of the member holding the Presidency.
Minutes Meeting from May 3rd, 2013 2/3
4. Miscellaneous

• • Warsaw and Bremen will circulate first information on the suggested new members among the other association members. After consultation the association members will decide whom they want to invite to Milan.
  • Should students be invited to the presentations of the members?
  • Funds for the business trip to Milan via Erasmus Staff or Teaching Mobility? This is to be clarified internally by each member at the Home University.