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THE CHARGE TO THE COMMISSION AND HOW IT HAS
GONE ABOUT ITS WORK |
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| 1 |
The Terms of Reference given to the Chancellor's
Commission described its origin in a proposal made at the meeting
of the Board of Trustees of the Aga Khan University (AKU) on
March 9-10, 1991. It was there proposed that : |
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"... a senior panel be constituted to examine
the future direction of the University over a twenty to thirty
year period, and to recommend ways in which AKU could develop
into a broader international academic institution in line with
its founding vision." |
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Five specific charges were given to the Commission
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| [1] |
to review the 'overall vision' of AKU as
articulated in the 1983 Harvard Report; |
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to suggest changes in this conception of
AKU that may now appear appropriate or necessary; |
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to recommend programmes and a, activities
AKU might undertake, the locations and legal structures they
may have; |
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to describe the financial characteristics
of the University implied in the recommended vision of its future;
and |
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to recommend appropriate management and governance
structures. |
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| 2 |
These Terms of Reference charged the of Commission
to take long views and consider very broad subjects. Under the
second charge above, it was to consider changes that might be
necessary or appropriate "in light of world political changes,
economic forces impinging on private higher education, developments
in the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), and [the] evolution
of AKU since 1983". The proposal to establish the Commission
came at a time when there were "continuing concerns" about the
future of the Aga Khan University Medical Centre (AKUMC) and
when the University was planning its first development outside
the Health Sciences in the establishment of the Institute for
Educational Development (IED). Shortly after the original proposal
to establish a "senior panel" it appeared wise to separate current
issues related to the development and financing of the Medical
Centre from the effort to review the longer-term and more general
development of AKU.A Medical Centre Committee was therefore
established under the chairmanship of Dr. J. Robert Buchanan,
General Director, Massachusetts General Hospital, and a member
of the AKU Board of Trustees. This committee met first in July
1991 and presented its final report to the Chancellor and Board
of Trustees in February 1993. The establishment of this Medical
Centre Committee made it possible for the Chancellor's Commission
to concentrate on longer-term developments and on fields other
than the Health Sciences. The Commission was, however, to make
recommendations on the Health Sciences as it saw fit, and it
was instructed to work closely with the Medical Centre Committee
since the character and financial requirements of the Medical
Centre would be of critical importance to the development of
the University as a whole. |
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The Commission was not only to take into account
the projected development of the Aga Khan University Medical
Centre but other parts of the Aga Khan Development Network.
These institutions, including the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF),
the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), and the Central and National
Service Companies in Health and Education, have programmes to
which AKU needs to relate both in the short and long term. |
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| 3 |
The Commission was appointed by the Chancellor
in summer, 1992. It originally consisted of seven members :
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H.E. Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan, Chairman |
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Dr. J. Fraser Mustard |
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David E. Bell |
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Vartan Gregorian |
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Sharom Ahmat |
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Mme. Fatima Mernissi |
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Francis X. Sutton, Secretary. |
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Appendix A gives brief biographical sketches on
these members. Mme. Mernissi participated in two meetings of
the Commission but was unable to continue with its work because
of other commitments. We have benefited from her contributions
to the work of the Commission. |
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| 4 |
The Commission met seven times in meetings extending
over two or three days. Its first meeting was in Washington,
DC in October 1992; subsequent meetings were in Karachi, in
February 1993; at Endicott House, the MIT Conference Centre
near Boston, in May 1993; at the Ismaili Centre in London in
September 1993; in New York City in February 1994; in Karachi
again in May 1994; and finally in Aiglemont in September 1994.
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His Highness the Aga Khan participated in parts
of the initial, Washington meeting, the Endicott House meeting,
and the final meeting in Aiglemont. Dr. David Fraser (Head of
the Social Welfare Department at the Secretariat of His Highness
the Aga Khan), Guillaume de Spoelberch (Executive Director of
the Aga Khan Foundation) and Shamsh Kassim Lakha (President
of the Aga Khan University Centre) participated as observers
in all these meetings. Following on his appointment as Acting
Rector and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. John
Dirks participated in the last two meetings of the Commission.
Other participants were invited to the meetings as the subject
matter and their experience and interests made appropriate.
Details on the principal subjects of the Commission's meetings
and participation in them are given in Appendix B. |
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In addition to the regular meetings of the Commission,
other meetings were scheduled to inform the Board of Trustees,
faculty members and staff of the University on the work of the
Commission, and to solicit their views. Again, details on these
meetings and on travels and other activities of the Secretary
are included in Appendix B. |
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Papers prepared for or studied by the Commission
are listed in Appendix C. |
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It was originally estimated that the Commission
would complete its work in about 18 months. As it has turned
out, slightly more than two years have passed between the first
meeting in September 1992 and the final presentation of this
report to the Chancellor on November 15, 1994. |
