Second Circular
Symposium of Buddhist Universities and Colleges
United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok
26-29 May 2007/2550
 

Dear Esteemed Rectors, Chancellors, Vice-Chancellors, Principals and Colleagues,

 1. First, we are gathering to discuss about Buddhist higher education in the 21st Century. By Buddhist education, it means moral and ethical education as taught by Sakyamuni Gotama the Buddha, which is imparted at higher educational institutions. It also means any education, i.e. moral, vocational, sciences, arts and humanities that Buddhists should be informed of. the symposium is open to both, although many may tend to gear themselves up for the first one.

2. Participating universities and colleges. At the moment, we expect about eighty Buddhist universities and colleges to be at the symposium. These institutions can be roughly categorized into: 
       2.a   those who only teach one tradition of Buddhism, e.g. some have only curriculum related to Theravada Buddhism;  some with only Tibetan Buddhism; and some only a certain part of Mahayana Buddhism on their syllabus such as those in Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
     2.b    those who offer all traditions of Buddhism .e.g International Buddhist College, Hat Yai, and Budapest Buddhist University.
     2.c    those who offer not just Buddhism of a chosen tradition but also some "secular" subjects including sciences and medicine such as those Vietnam Buddhist Universities and many of the East Asian Buddhist universities.
     2.d   a department/centre of Buddhist studies from a classical university such as London University, Bristol University, Oxford University and Taiwan National University.
    2.e    those of classical universities which have no department/centre, nevertheless which offer some substantial teaching on Buddhism such as Chulalongkorn University and Thammasat University.

            We will welcome them all and are looking forward to having their contribution.

3. Our Strength.  I can only speak from my own experience. Since I began working on my doctoral thesis on Buddhist education at Oxford in 2000, I have traveled to some forty Buddhist universities and colleges. One thing striking to me has been that all those institutions are working hard under difficult circumstances to promote higher education according to the Buddhist philosophy they understand. I have nothing but a huge admiration for all the institutions I have visited such as those in Hungary, Indonesia and Malaysia.

            There are more Buddhists than we ever imagine there to be.

4. What we still need. The point is that we do not know each other. Let alone collaborate among ourselves at a global level.

5. The immediate aim. The immediate aim of this symposium of all Buddhist universities and colleges is therefore, "networking". We believe we will be able to achieve this at this symposium.

6. The objects in the longer term. Our objects in the long run is to raise Buddhist studies profile and the profile of all the institutions teaching and researching the subject. 

7. Action plan for this symposium: The action plan is therefore to identity short, medium and long term need and to get down on working on the immediate one. Here we mean we should get some general frameworks agreed among ourselves in the constitution. Then, mark some areas/details for the next meeting and for the foreseeable future.

            The draft Constitution has been made available to you all with the above strategy in mind. It has been circulated to some. But today, it is being re-sent again for those who have not received it.

8. How to run it. Here I would like to address one concern expressed by some of my colleagues. How do we run this association of Buddhist universities?

            We may study some models. The draft Constitution is a product of such a research. One association we look into is the Commonwealth Universities Association, based in London and founded in 1956. This association has done a marvelous job in raising the standard of its members and also provide connection between them.

            The stability comes from the fact that it has an independent secretariat, permanently based in one place. I believe this is the way we should go. All international organisations such as UN, UNESCO, FIFA all a permanent secretariat.

            At the moment, we are indeed fortunate Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, is offering to host the secretariat. We would very much like to have your input on this matter.