Transuniversity project

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University and Peruvianist network Peru-Ireland-UK (mainly in the fields of Peruvianist Studies and other disciplines applied to Peru and/or the Peruvian diaspora).

The project would start as a network (see tentative draft for website www.transuni.net i.e this website if you are viewing this document via Internet) dependent on voluntary specialists. An advisory council would develop a further proposal for a “non-profit institution (NPI)” equivalent to “virtual centres for Peruvian studies” which could also be the budget centre for the project.

The initial (English-language output) network would aim to be open to / inclusive of:
(1) Peruvian diasporic education and cultural organisations / Irish-Peruvian and British-Peruvian associations in Ireland and the UK;
(2) Peruvian universities, libraries, museums etc - see list Annexe 1 on website www.transuni.net ;
(3) Irish and UK “Peruvianist” universities, libraries, museums, etc;
(4) other interested organisations and enterprises, including diplomatic, commercial and financial and
(5) individual membership.

The project will have a core lead group made up of the Peruvian institutions (see Annexe 1) and their counterparts from groups 1,3,4 and 5. The advisory council would be representative of these groups or largely drawn from them.

It is proposed that a joint university centre for European-Peruvian studies in Peru would focus on the potential of the Peruvian diaspora in Europe and coordinate between the English language network and those in Spanish, other Peruvian languages, French, German etc.

One proposal is that the new Peruvian Cultural Centre in London would house (or virtually house) one of the first of the new “mini-centres” for Peruvian Studies. The network and the “mini-centres” could be used to “export” Peruvian university courses, which together with input from European academia would be offered to members of the Peruvian diaspora and others in Europe.
Another suggestion is that the initial convening centre here could “rotate” between Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England – commencing with the institution that, over the years, has produced the greatest Peruvianist output (publications, graduates, institutional development). I do not have all that data to hand but Liverpool or Oxford have been suggested. (This does not imply resource requirements as the donkeywork for the network could be done elsewhere, e.g. something similar to the administration of SLAS being done by a secretary, conference organiser, and editors in other institutions.)
It is also proposed that we open an online forum for discussion of these proposals and the specific development of the website and network.
Prior to the formation of the NPI (non-profit institution) the project would be carried forward by a coordinator and a network administrator (possibly in Lima), and a small group of (voluntary) programmers/designers working in consultation with the advisory group.

The initial projects could include one or more of the following:
(1) A bibliographic census of Peruvianist output in English (Ireland / UK) with a view to content-archiving on the National Library servers, materials which are not presently caught in the deposit-library net.
(2) Setting up an online joint research facility with knowledge-sharing software.
(3) Sponsoring a recorded lecture by a distinguished academic in Lima /departmental university, in connection with the “knowledge-relay” series.
(4) Setting up a student and a faculty staff exchange scheme.
(5) Conducting a costing exercise on recording and disseminating via internet a series of lectures from one (or jointly from more than one) of the participating universities. Particularly aimed at the Peruvian diaspora in Europe.
(6) Others which may be proposed, providing they are self-financing or attract funding.

The documents below were written following a visit to Peru, contacting the organisations in Annexe 1

Universities Peru-UK

Proposed networked Institute of Peruvian Studies (UK)
and a related transnational university network Peru-UK

A framework for development

Summary

This document contains three sections:

A letter which invites you to participate in the formation of a new UK-Peru institute in the way you feel most appropriate: on a working group (see section 2), nominating a representative to the council, setting up a study centre or contributing to the discussion about the institute via the forum page.

A second document sets out a possible path or framework for development. It suggests several formative/working groups including a key research project:

. . . that we should start with an initial pilot, bibliographic project potentially involving all members, jointly with the Peruvian National Library, Sistema Nacional de Bibliotecas and counterpart UK Latin Americanist libraries. Theme: UK- Peruvian heritage. Objective: to facilitate maximum accessibility in the Departments of Peru to UK Peruvianist output.

A third document (Annexe_1) lists the institutions in Peru, which have been “formally” contacted to date.

Because we are spread out over the UK and Peru, it follows that most of our collaborative work will be done over internet, without the benefit of joint meetings – at least initially.

May 2006

Section 1. Cover letter to Peruvianists and Peruvian Associations in the UK

Invitation to participate in the development of an institute of Peruvian studies based on Peruvianist associations and centres of study/research in the UK.

I have recently completed a month’s round of discussions, April 24 to May 21 2006, regarding the ´Peruvian side' of a projected centre or institute of Peruvian studies. The institutions and organisations visited in Peru are listed in Annexe_1, and I would like to thank all those who have spared time to talk though framework proposals and who have added a wealth of ideas to the project.

We started out with the proposal for a centre of Peruvian studies – we were talking about Vauxhall, Southwark, Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh – focusing on the needs of the ‘Peruvian diaspora’ but with strong links to the universities and other organizations with Latin American, not just Peruvian, connections - an institution which is both ‘virtual’ (internet based) and real (with local tutorial/research centres).

As usually happens when viewing a proposal from another perspective, I returned from the round of discussions with a modified set of proposals. These foresee an Institute of European-Peruvian studies in Peru linked to counterpart institutes of Peruvian studies in European countries. However these documents refer only to Peru-UK. It is proposed to take the discussion and the development of the proposal forward by setting up ‘working groups’ advised by a council composed of representatives of the most active Peruvianist associations / organisations / study centres / research enterprises / academics / journalists . . . This letter invites you to participate in the way you feel most appropriate: on a working group (see below), nominating a representative to the council, setting up a study centre or contributing to the discussion about the institute via the forum page.

All comments, suggestions and proposals are welcome and will be posted on the forum page of the website, which pending the completion of new software is to be found on www.transuni.net. If you do not wish your comments to be attributed, please add a question / comment to the ‘questions and answers’ page unsigned. Send comments to the email address below.

The ab inicio plenary network for the Institute (the mailing list for this letter) has been constructed from various lists and I apologise in advance if you have not received a copy directly. If you would like to discuss the proposal by phone contact me on 020 8946 7287 or 0033 (0)145255780 (Paris) or by email paulgoulder[at]yahoo.com

The intention is that the new institute should be inclusive – a network of Peruvianist activity, where Peruvian associations are seen, by default, as Peruvianist.

With best regards,

Paul Goulder

Section 2. Institute of Peruvian Studies (UK): framework for development.

The “Institute” in this document is not a “building” but a “confederated network” of local centres in the UK. The “institutes” will need to take on a different form in respective countries. For example in France an interuniversity network, a Peru-France Institute of Andean Studies and a full-time (4 year) Peruvian / Andean language (mainly Quechua) degree already exist. This document refers to the UK. It is envisaged that a small coordinating centre “Institute of European-Peruvian Studies” in Peru would link the institutes or networks (UK, France, etc.) together.

As the formative stage of this project is unfunded, the work of the ‘action line working groups’ depends on volunteers. The letter above invites you to join one or more of these. It is suggested that each group appoint (or rotate) a coordinator.

1. Software for the network. This group will be developing the networking and database webpages essential to the project.

2. Joint research project with an initial pilot, bibliographic project potentially involving all members, jointly with the Peruvian National Library, Sistema Nacional de Bibliotecas and counterpart UK Latin Americanist libraries. Theme: UK- Peruvian heritage. Objective: to facilitate maximum accessibility to UK Peruvianist output in the Departments of Peru.

3. Universities Group to develop the university network Peru-UK. Based initially on the Peruvian universities listed in Appendix I and equivalent counterpart number in UK. Objectives: to foster staff and student exchange, joint research projects, “exporting” of the courses of Peruvian universities, working with new centres of Peruvian studies in UK, etc.

4. Peruvian Cultural Centre. A joint group working for the “establishment of a Peruvian Cultural Centre in the UK”

5. Local Centres of Peruvian Studies. To develop online workshops / seminars for volunteer coordinators and mentors/tutors of new centres of studies.All Peruvian cultural, events and sporting associations are seen as centres of study and creative research with representation on the Council by rota, pending the development of an online elective system.

6. Liaison working group: with other Latin American institutes and Peruvian Institutes in other countries of Europe

7. Strategy and overall development group comprising representatives of the above groups (coordinators would be default representative) and an advisory group of ‘honorary advisors’ from the academic, diasporic, non-governmental, commercial and other Peruvianist communities (see letter).

The Institute, as proposed, is innovative in: being directly networked with leading Peruvian universities, with associations of Peruvians in the UK and other organizations; having a formative relationship to a new Peruvian cultural centre in the UK; offering membership to all Peruvian(ist)s in the UK; and in supporting, and depending on, multiple centres of Peruvian studies.

In addition to an office in a new Peruvian cultural centre – probably in London but yet to be formed – the coordination of the Institute (i.e. the network in the initial pre “formal association” stage) could “rotate” between the main centres of Peruvianist scholarship or be based simply at the “desktop” of the honorary secretaries or coordinators.

This document is an invitation to participate in the discussion and in the formation of the Institute by joining one of the workgroups above, or to form additional workgoups in other fields as the need arises.

Annexe 1

Institutions in Peru visited during round of discussions April 24 to May 21 2006 regarding the development of centres of Peruvian studies in the UK and a related transnational university network Peru-UK.

Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores

· Secretaría de Relaciones Culturales ( Guillermo Bernós, Jaime Casafranca)
· Secretaría de Communidades Exteriores (Hugo Flores Morales)

Asamblea Nacional de Rectores:

· Presidente. Dr Ivan Rodriguez Chavez

Biblioteca Nacional del Perú

Sistema Nacional de Bibliotecas: · Rosa María Merino,· Alvaro Tejada S.

Universities 

· Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM) Rectorado. Oficina General de Cooperación y Relaciones Interinstitucional. Jefe, Pedro Mendoza Arana
· Pontifica Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCM) Vice-Rector Dr Marcial Rubio, Rel. Int. Luis Castillo Butters
· National Engineering University (UNI). Asesor Rector, Eduardo Chávez Delgado

Outside Lima (not visited on this occasion): Universidad Nacional San Augustín de Arequipa, Universidad Católica Santa María de Arequipa, Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad, Cusco, Universidad Nacional de Trujillo. 

British Embassy, Lima

· Robert Webb OBE, Acting Head of Mission

Also included were several universities / academics not visited formally through the office of the Rector. Also visited on previous occasions are many organisations, universities and institutions not included in this list.

My apologies to institutions that I failed to visit either because of lack of time or through difficulties in arranging meetings.

Further notes, explanations and “faqs” are available. Please request by email to coordinator paulgoulder[at]yahoo.com, quoting this page

Previous index page to May 25, 2006

Proposed TRANSNATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY Network
Peruvians living abroad

Discussion document

Centres for Peruvian Studies as a basis for a Peruvian transnational open university.

In brief the project of the Transnational University aims to provide a structure, whereby Peruvians and Peruvianists (specialists on Peru) living abroad may organise learning schemes and international research projects. The structure depends on the development of "dynamic" centres of Peruvian studies. The output of these joint projects could be seen as an “intellectual remittance” to the Peruvian people, without charge to the Peruvian state. A body representative of the whole diaspora – émigrés and exiles - including also Peruvianists and other interested groups, is being set up. It should not be run or emanate from one particular section of the community. It is suggested also that the “gift” also cannot be “presented” until it is substantially operating and demonstrating “positive knowledge flows for Peru”.

Reversing the brain drain and improving education opportunity
An open transnational university supported by Peruvians abroad / Peruvianists in general is seen as a method for redressing the “brain drain” (la fuga cerebral de la diáspora) and as a complement, for example, to the substantial remittances made by Peruvians abroad back to Peru. The transnational university – a Peruvian Open University – should also be able to provide educational opportunity for Peruvians abroad and their children.

On the basis of our experience of developing previous proposals, it is suggested that the Peruvian Transnational Open University be built upon the firm bases of multiple centres / units / departments of studies set up by members of the Peruvian diaspora and on joint UK-Peru research projects involving existing universities.

The next stage
Thus the task for the next stage is to facilitate a greater number of joint UK-Peru research projects and the setting up of study units or centres. This effectively implies a previous or parallel stage: that of resourcing an accessible library of print and multimedia materials. This involves negotiation with national and university libraries, licensing and copyright organizations, online suppliers / journals. What is a centre? In the UK access to books can be obtained through inter-library loan. Other resources can be held on internet-servers. This document is also being sent to the (UK) Open University, the British Library and other institutions for comment. Centres (of studies) would be encouraged wherever there is demand. They need not have permanent accommodation. The success of the proposal will depend on the enthusiasm to develop centres, the ability to archive relevant resources and the effectiveness with which the experience of the (study and research) centres can be shared.

Existing initiatives
Throughout the Peruvian and Latin American diaspora there are many associations, projects and initiatives in the area of education, research, publication and development which should form a basis for diasporic study centres. Most cultural associations are effectively already centres of “education”.

Initial demand
The task, though formidable, can be focused on those subjects for which there in initial demand. The following have been suggested in the case of the UK:

History (cultural and economic) of the UK-Peruvian community.
The output of UK Peruvianists (comparative say to that of France).
The UK mining and energy sector and Peru.
Cultural study of area of root migration (e.g. Apurimac).
English language and UK cultural studies for new residents.
The UK financial sector and Peruvian economic development.
International relations and diplomacy UK-Peru.

Although the proposal appears ambitious (without state or commercial financing) it is designed to take off with the study of just one of the topics above and to grow “organically” with the addition of other studies and other centres. The centres can be run on a voluntary basis.

The purpose of this document is to provide information for discussion amongst UK Peruvians and Peruvianists and those in Peru with an interest in the proposal. The discussion could be expanded to include the diaspora outside the UK. A version in French is being prepared. The views of other Latin Americans in the UK is also being sought.

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