Vice Chancellor and Dean for Academic Planning of Nalanda University visit Yale

Dr. Gopa Sabharwal, the Vice Chancellor of Nalanda University, and Dr. Anjana Sharma, Dean for Academic Planning of Nalanda University, visited Yale University from September 17 to 19.

Nalanda University was established in November of 2010 by a special act of the Indian Parliament. Located in the town of Rajgir in the northern Indian state of Bihar, the new university contains within it the memory of the ancient Nalanda University that was destroyed eight hundred years ago. The Nalanda visitors shared information about Nalanda University and the rationale behind its formation. Dr. Sharma explained that “there is the understanding that both ancient and present day Nalanda are Universities that were/are genuinely international — in thought, in practice, and in action. Nalanda’s mission and its international character is aimed at making it — once again — the place where Asia and the world will come together to find creative solutions to problems related to historical processes, to cultural practices, and to environmental and ecological problems that are impacting both local, regional and transnational communities. Supported by the East Asia Summit countries, Nalanda is positioned as an institution that will encompass the best practices in higher education globally and meld them into an institution that will for current times re-create and replicate the excellence that characterized the original university: a Nalanda for our times.”

During their visit, the visitors met with a number of Yale faculty and administrators to discuss their plans for the new University and learn from Yale’s experiences. The visitors met with Dr. James Soto Antony, Associate Provost of Yale University and discussed some of the challenges and opportunities they face. Commenting on the meeting, Dr. Soto said: “We were very impressed with the amount of work and expertise they have brought to bear on the development of their campus. As somebody who studies higher education institutions, I was personally very impressed with our colleagues’ description of all they have accomplished. Given their collective wisdom, I have every reason to believe they will lead Nalanda toward a promising future”. An important component of their visit was tour of Yale libraries. The visitors met with Kendall Crilly, Associate University Librarian for Program Development & Research at Yale University Library, speaking generally about library planning, changing service parameters, and building a research collection in an increasingly digital environment. The visitors also met with faculty and administrators at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies including Danielle Curtis (Director of Enrollment Management), Susan Wells (Director for Finance and Administration), Bethany Zemba (Assistant Dean for Strategic Affairs, Communications, and Research), James Saiers (Professor of Hydrology and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs), Gordon Geballe (Associate Dean for Student and Alumni Affairs) and David Skelly (Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and, Associate Dean for Research and Director of Doctoral Studies) and exchanged ideas about admission processes and other administrative matters.

Commenting on the international ethos of both Universities, Dr. Sharma said, “Yale too is now looking to grow along with this resurgent Asia; both Nalanda and Yale seek to craft a model of knowledge and resource sharing that will become the model that other institutions can follow in order to create genuine, working partnerships”. Dr. Sharma also noted both Universitys’ attempts to impact their local environments: “Given our own knowledge of how the growth of the Yale University has directly impacted in a highly positive manner on the New Haven region, and the international repute of its excellent School of Forestry and Environment which could mentor (in initial years) NU’s inaugural School of Ecology and Environment Studies, Yale seemed the logical choice for us.” Dr. Sharma praised “the generosity of spirit of so many persons who together form the fabric of the University—librarians,  administrators, academics, members of Yale’s Center for South Asian Studies, and so many others who gave us focused time and attention and made us feel that they are building Nalanda along with us!”