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6 |
Implications for AKUs Future |
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The various and complex changes that we have described and
speculatively projected to the future have many implications
for the mission of AKU in the future. As we have done at the
end of the previous Section III, we here draw together some
of these implications : |
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- The emergence of the Central Asian republics
widens the potential domain of activity for AKU. The well-being
of the Ismaili population in Tajikistan is of necessary concern
to the Imam and the Jamat; there will clearly be a desire to
see AKU, like other parts of AKDN, do what it can there. |
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- The economic decline and political difficulties in East
Africa have cast shadows over the prospects for fruitful
development of AKU that were seen there ten years ago. But the
AKDN institutions there and evident needs for what AKU could
contribute make some future engagements of AKU with East Africa
more or less inevitable. There will be risks but appealing opportunities
to be weighed in deciding if a substantial branch can be located
there. |
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- Conditions in Pakistan and in Karachi in particular may
be somewhat more difficult in 1994 than they were in 1983. The
political and security prospects will need to be weighed in
judgements on the location of new parts of AKU. |
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- Whatever the changes in the developing world and fatigue
with the whole conception of development, there remain enormous
populations in poverty and deprivation. The problems remain
severe, difficult to analyse and resolve, and as such claiming
the continued vocation of AKU to service of the developing
countries. |
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- Tensions within the Muslim world and its relations with
other parts of the world have increased and are unlikely to
diminish in the next quarter century; coping wisely with them
will require enlightened understanding of Islamic traditions
and their meaning in the modern world. Hence the potential
role of AKU as a Muslim university has undoubtedly been increased
anti will remain important in the coming decades. |
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- Globalisation in the contemporary world means that men and
women must learn to reconcile their religious, ethnic, national
and cosmopolitan identities. A challenge is thereby posed to
AKU and other educational institutions serving the Muslim world. |
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- The insistence on multicultural variety now prevailing in
the muslim world offers important opportunities to AKU as
an authentic voice from the developing and Muslim world. |
