Research Community News


Swedish Research Links grants to eight South Asia related projects

The eighth round of the so-called Swedish Research Links (Asian–Swedish research partnership programme) – grants by Sida and the Swedish Research Council – was decided upon in mid-November 2011. The following eight India and Bangladesh related collaboration projects were given grants for the three-years period 2012–14.

– Professor Staffan Jansson (photo), Division of Public Health Sciences, Karlstad University, receives support for a project entitled ”Injury risks and abuse of children in occupational settings in Bangladesh” in collaboration with Fazlur Rahman, Centre for Injury Prevention and Research in Dhaka.
– Dr. Ayesha de Costa (photo), Division of Global Health (IHCAR), Karolinska Institutet, receives support for a project entitled ”Reducing financial barriers to access: Providing evidence from a conditional cash transfer and a voucher based program for maternal mortality reduction in India” in collaboration with Dileep Mavalankar, Indian Institute of Public Health in Gandhinagar.
– Professor Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg (photo), also Division of Global Health (IHCAR), Karolinska Institutet, receives support for the project entitled ”Antibiotic pollutants in waters and resistance in rural India – Interventions to improve antibiotic resistance management (APRIAM 2)” in collaboration with Vishal Diwan, R.D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain.
– Professor Mannan Mridha (photo), Division of Medical Engineering, School of Technology and Health (STH), Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), receives support for a project entitled ”To develop a model of patient safety system to improve the safety and quality of patient care at the Intensive Care Units at the hospitals in Bangladesh” in collaboration with Mohammad Saiful Islam, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka.
– Professor Birgitta Essén, Division of International Maternal Health, Uppsala University, receives support for a project entitled ”Management of a simplified procedure of medical abortion in India. Facility based RCT studies to improve womens access to safe abortion service” in collaboration with Suneeta Mittal, All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Delhi.
– Professor Rajeev Ahuja (photo), Division of Materials Theory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, receives support for a project entitled ”Hydrogen storage materials for energy applications” in collaboration with G P Das, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata.
– Professor Bibplab Sanyal, also Division of Materials Theory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, receives support for a project entitled ”Theory of phonon excitations in substitutionally disordered alloys” in collaboration with Subhradip Ghosh, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD), Delhi.
– Professor Ewert Bengtsson (photo), Centre for Image Analysis, Uppsala University, receives support for a project entitled ”Medical image analyser for cervical cancer prescreening” in collaboration with Rajesh Kumar, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, Thiruvananthapuram.
More information.


PhD position on Migration Studies available at North-Eastern Hill University in Shillong

The Department of Anthropology, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in Shillong, Meghalaya, India, invites applications for the post of one doctoral fellowship in the field of ”Nepalese migrants in the coal-mines of India’s Northeast: Risk, Remittances and Return to Nepal”. The project's main objective is to examine the relationship between migration and democracy-building in the context of post-conflict Nepal. The selected candidate will be a member of an international research team from Nepal, India and Denmark, involving senior researchers and other PhD scholars from Kathmandu University, Aarhus University, Copenhagen University and NEHU, and will be expected to take part in all project-related activities as and when needed. Deadline to submit applications is 7 March 2012. The shortlisted candidates will appear for a written examination followed by interview on March 14, 2012. Read the full announcement.


SASNET/Ashgate discount price for Sikhs in Europe edited volume

Are you interested to get a discount copy of the newly published book by Professor Knut A. Jacobson, University of Bergen, Norway, and and Dr. Kristina Myrvold, Lund University, Sweden, an edited volume entitled ”Sikhs in Europe”? The book was published in 2011 by Ashgate Publishing, Farnham, Surrey, UK. More information about the book. 

For a limited period (till 30th April 2012), Ashgate Publishing is now offering a 20 % discount on the book price for members of the SASNET network. (The offer is however not valid in the US and Canada).

Your price will be UK Pounds 48.00. Orders to be made by post, use the enclosed form, or order by e-mail (orders@bookpoint.co.uk). Please specify the promotion code: C12GCM20


Honorary doctorate for CSR work in Indian garment industry

The Faculty of Engineering (LTH) at Lund University has decided to confer Ms. Renée Andersson, Director of Ethics and Environment at the Swedish fashion and decorating firm Indiska, an honorary doctorate at Lund University. In the motivation, it is stated that she has drawn attention to the importance of combining ethics, environmental concerns and economics within the garment industry. 
”Through her commitment and knowledge she has enabled research and technological development in the field of water purification in South Asia”, says Bo Mattiasson, Professor of Biotechnology, with whom Ms. Andersson has been involved in a research project dealing with treatment of textile dyes using biological and physiochemical techniques in the South Indian city of Tirupur. More information on the project.
In 2008, Renée Andersson participated in a successful SASNET/SIBC business seminar focusing on Business and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in India. At that time, she said that her company has worked to develop their CSR code for a long time, even incorporated Indian laws in its CSR code, with an effect that their suppliers must follow Indian law with regard to health insurances, pension plans, and employment contracts. The outcomes of this process has generated a new interest in Indiska magasinet’s products among more quality conscious customers. More information about the 2008 seminar.
The official ceremony when Renée Andersson will be conferred her honorary doctorate will take place on Friday 25 May 2012. 


ICCR Chair Professorship established at the University of Gothenburg

On 20 December 2011, the University of Gothenburg signed an agreement for the Establishment of a Short-Term Chair in Indian Studies (ICCR Chair professorship) at the university. From the Indian side the agreement was signed by H.E. Ashok Sajjanhar, Ambassador of India to Sweden and Latvia, who was present at the official ceremony inaugurated by Prof. Pam Fredman, Vice Chancellor of the University of Gothenburg. During the official ceremony, presentations were delivered also by Professor Claes Alvstam who is an advisor to the Vice-Chancellor on International Affairs; Professor Åke Sander, as well as Dr. Clemens Cavallin from the Department of Literature from the History of Ideas and Religion at the University of Gothenburg. They stressed the importance of the Gothenburg India Academic Network – GAIN for further develepment of collaboration in the areas of education and research.
More information about the new ICCR professorship (in Swedish only).

Uppsala University and Stockholm University are also in the process of signing similar agreements for visiting ICCR Chair professorships. Lund University was the first Swedish university to finalize such an agreement, with the active support by SASNET, already in 2010. LU is currently hosting the second visiting professor within the scope of this collaboration – Professor Gopal Karanth from the Indian Institute for Economic and Social Change in Bangalore. Read more.


Soros’ Global Supplementary Grant Program open for Nepalese and Afghani PhD candidates

The Open Society Foundations, established in 1984 by investor and philanthropist George Soros (photo), offer supplementary grants to students from select countries of Southeastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Mongolia, the Middle East, and South Asia. The purpose of the Global Supplementary Grant Program (GSGP) is to enable qualified students to pursue doctoral studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences at accredited universities in Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.
In South Asia, citizens from Afghanistan and Nepal are eligible to apply for the GSGP programme, which is open for students pursuing doctorate degrees only. Students pursuing doctorates in the Medical Sciences, Hard and Natural Sciences, Engineering, Business Administration, and Computer Science, are however not eligible for this grant. Besides, it should be noted that this is a supplementary program not intended for full funding. Applicants must therefore be able to demonstrate additional support from other sources. The deadline for students pursuing a PhD in Asia, Australia, North America, or the Middle East is April 15, 2012, whereas the deadline for students pursuing a PhD in Europe is May 21, 2012.
More information on the Global Supplementary Grant Program.


Kristina Myrvold new Director for Nordic Centre in India

The Nordic Centre in India (NCI) university consortium has appointed Dr. Kristina Myrvold at the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies, Lund University, as its new Director to work on a 50% basis from 1 March 2012. As Director she is responsible for the daily activities at the NCI. Besides, Dr. Myrvold will continue with her research work, being a leading Scandinavian expert on Sikh and Punjab Studies. She succeeds Dr. Mirja Juntunen, who has been the NCI Director since 2006, but now has decided to fully focus on her other tasks and plans in the academic world, mainly as a researcher/lecturer at the Division of South and Central Asian Studies, Department of Oriental Languages, Stockholm University.

NCI was established in 2001 as a consortium of Nordic universities and research institutions. The consortium consists of 22 member universities in the Nordic countries (5 in Sweden, 3 in Norway, 4 in Denmark, 8 in Finland, 1 in Iceland, plus NIAS in Copenhagen). Since 2010, the NCI secretariat is based at the Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition/Unit of Public Health, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio campus. 
The objective is to facilitate cooperation in research and higher education between the Nordic countries and India. Through academic exchange NCI seeks to strengthen Indo-Nordic ties and understanding. In November 2004, NCI got final clearance from the Indian Government to operate in India. NCI runs educational courses for Nordic students in India at different universities in India, and has a flat with rooms available to rent in Delhi. More information


35 PhD positions announced at Lund University

Lund University announces a total of 35 doctoral studentships in the areas of Humanities and Theology. The positions are in various subjects and part of the following faculties: – Centre for Theology and Religious Studies; – Centre for Languages and Literature; – Department of Philosophy; – Department of Archaeology and Ancient History; – Department of Cultural Sciences; – Department of History; and – Department of Educational Sciences. The selection process will focus on the applicants’ ability to benefit from research studies. Before submitting an application, all candidates should discuss a potential research project with the subject representative or equivalent in the relevant subject. Applications should reach the administration by 1 March 2012. For more information and details about each position please check the official announcement.


PhD position in Indology at Uppsala University

Due to lack of satisfactory applications for the previously announced PhD position in Indology at Uppsala University, the position is currently re-announced again.
The succesful applicant will be based at the Department of Linguistics and Philology and will start from 1 May 2012. The department especially encourages applicants with project descriptions relating to modern South Asia. Application is done through a webform.
Deadline for applications is Monday 1 March 2012. More information.


Karlstad University’s Teacher Education Master Programme in Kabul inaugurated

The Teacher Education Master Programme (TEMP), initiated by the Dept. of Educational Work, Organisation and Society, Karlstad University,  was inaugurated in Kabul, Afghanistan, on 15th January 2012 in the presence of Sweden’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Mr. Torbjörn Pettersson; prominent representatives of the Ministry of Higher Education and Ministry of Education; the Ministry of Women’s Affairs; Kabul University; Karlstad University; and the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan. Six TV channels, the national radio as well as several newspapers reported from the event.
TEMP is financed by Sida and is implemented by Karlstad University in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and SCA. During 2012 – 2014 up to 90 teacher educators, presently working at the country’s Teacher Training Colleges, will be trained in general and subject didactics, learning theories, education and development, and other topics. More information.

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