In collaboration with Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS), Japan, School of Politics and International Relations (SPIR), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, has begun a video-conferencing based six-week course, namely “Advanced Course on Peace and Conflict Studies”. Apart from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Universities from Indonesia, Afghanistan, Combodia, India and Sri Lanka are also participating in the program. Through this program, the School of Politics and International Relations aims at equipping its participating students with a cross-cultural, theoretical and, above all, multi-institutional understanding of conflict dynamics and resolution practices.
Under the program, the participating students of the Schools of Politics and International Relations are being provided the opportunity to interact with faculty members and students from well reputed institutions of higher learning across the globe. Besides, the program involves a series of lectures being delivered by Professors of repute; and presentations by the participating students based on the research they are carrying out. Further, the research which the SPIR students are carrying out will hopefully be published from TUFS, Japan.
The program also aims at providing the participating students from various nations to interact with each other in a friendly yet academic environment to carry out constructive debates on subjects of importance pertaining to Peace and Conflict studies. Furthermore, the program will also help students of SPIR experience various teaching and learning methods from other nations. Moreover, the program will also help the participating students to look at any conflict situation beyond any given cultural lens hence developing in them rational thinking and analytical skills. This program is the first of its kind that is being offered at the School of Politics and International Relations. However, the School’s management has been striving hard to broaden the said program on the one hand and initiate more such programs which can help its students build sound academic skills and capabilities. It is worth mentioning that various other programs of such kind are under consideration. Considering it the sine qua non, the SPIR has already installed cutting-edge video conferencing equipment donated by TUFS so that the above-mentioned aims can be materialized.