Academic Commission Urges Greater Focus on Commonwealth Studies for the 21st Century
20 June 1996
An international group of senior academics and education professionals has described the present levels of awareness and understanding of the Commonwealth as "truly appalling" and called on the academic community and government policy-makers to do more to encourage higher education studies on the modern Commonwealth.The Commission on Commonwealth Studies, appointed by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, in June 1995, says many Commonwealth countries today face similar challenges in areas of public policy and institutional reform which, if studied, could have great practical and academic value for the 21st century. These common challenges occur in such fields as economic liberalisation, democratisation and constitutional design, public administration, civil service reform, the provision and funding of health care and social security; taxation, education, population movements and heritage conservation.
It cited the experiences of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, technical and vocational training in Australia, the processes of political reconciliation in Southern Africa and public service reform in New Zealand which could contribute to the better management of social, economic and political change in sister Commonwealth countries.
The nine-member group, established to report on the state of Commonwealth studies at universities and colleges in member countries, also says many existing programmes of Commonwealth studies lack focus and coherence, are too preoccupied with the past and pay insufficient attention to the present and future problems and opportunities facing member countries.
"What has struck us most forcefully is the extraordinary and unprecedented opportunity that exists today for Commonwealth countries to learn from the rich experience of their Commonwealth partners in many fields," the Commissioners write.
"There is an urgent need to bring Commonwealth studies up-to-date, reflecting the evolution of the Commonwealth into a truly polycentric association, in order that teaching, research and skilling can reflect the modern Commonwealth, with all its challenges and possibilities.
The Commission's report, which will be launched by the Secretary-General on 27 June 1996 in London, lists 11 principal recommendations for the consideration of Commonwealth Heads of Government and Education Ministers, and a further 32 for the academic community, Commonwealth organisations and private sector.
With a note of irony, the Commission also pointed out that Commonwealth studies have often gained academic legitimacy and importance and are often better understood in countries outside the Commonwealth. At Liège in Belgium, for example, there is a Centre for Commonwealth Studies and teaching at the undergraduate and masters level.
The dearth of opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate students to follow courses with a Commonwealth focus in the Commonwealth, as well as concerns about the limited amount of research being carried out on Commonwealth studies, prompted the Secretary-General to launch the Commission. It was chaired by Professor Thomas H. B. Symons, founding President and Vanier Professor of Trent University in Canada.
"This report is the most comprehensive review of Commonwealth studies ever undertaken and its conclusions chime fully with what other groups are saying about the Commonwealth and its enormous potential," Chief Anyaoku said. "It is now up to governments and the academic community to seize on the report's recommendations and foster an environment where Commonwealth studies can flourish, both for their intrinsic interest and contemporary relevance, and to advance understanding and scholarship."
Note to Editors:
Prof Symons will be in London for the launch on 27 June and may be contacted through the Information and Public Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat (Tel: 44-(0)171-747 6385/6514). The Commission's eight other members, all of whom are also available for interviews, are:
Professor Suma Chitnis
Director, J.N. Tata Endowment. Until January 1996, Vice-Chancellor of SNDT Women's University, Bombay, India. Tel: 91-22-203 1879; Fax: 91-22-208 0404.
Dr Gajaraj Dhanarajan
President of the Commonwealth of Learning, Vancouver, Canada. Former Director of the Open Learning Institute, Hong Kong. Tel: 1-604-775 8200; Fax: 1-604-775 8210.
Professor Peter Katjavivi
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Namibia. Tel: 264-61-206 3937; Fax: 264-61-242 644.
Professor Donald Markwell
Fellow of Merton College, Oxford. From January 1996, Visiting Professor of Political Science, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia. Tel: 61-03-9248 1283 or 9688 4047; Fax: 61-03-9248 1293.
Professor Deryck Schreuder
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Western Sydney.Tel: 61-2-678 7801; Fax: 61-2-678 7809.
Professor Bishnodat Persuad
Alcan Professor of Caribbean Sustainable Development and Director, Centre of Environment and Development, University of the West Indies, Jamaica. Tel: 1-809-977 1659; Fax: 1-809- 977 1658.
Mrs Esi Sutherland-Addy
Research Fellow, Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana. Tel: 233-21-500 160.
Mr Peter Williams, Secretary
Former Director of Education at the Commonwealth Secretariat. Tel: 44-(0)1306-881 315.
Copies of the report are available from the Information and Public Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat. A brief summary of the Commission's findings is also available.
Issued by the Information and Public Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat,
Marlborough House,
Pall Mall,
London SW1Y 5HX,
United Kingdom.
Tel: 0207-839 3411;
Fax: 0207-839 9081;
Telex: 27678
96/26 20 June 1996
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