MoU renewed between South Asia Foudnation & UMCSAJ ( UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Centre of South Asian Journalism) on 5th June 2017

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Asian College of Journalism and the South Asia Foundation-India concerning the establishment and functioning of UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Centre of South Asian Journalism.

This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the South Asia Foundation-India, a secular, non-profit and non-political organization, located at A-33 Vasant Marg, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi 110 057, hereinafter referred to as “SAF”, on the one part,

AND

The  Media Development Foundation (MDF), a not for profit public Trust which administers the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) located at Second Main Road, Taramani, Chennai 600113, India, hereinafter referred to as “MDF”, on the second part, hereinafter referred to as “parties”,

Sets forth the agreements reached between the parties relating to the establishment and functioning of the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Centre of South Asian Journalism (UMCSAJ), herein after referred to as Centre, and utilization of the funds received from South Asia Foundation-India.

1. 1.  UNESCO MADANJEET SINGH CENTRE OF SOUTH ASIAN JOURNALISM (UMCSAJ)

1. The Centre is named The UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Centre of South Asian Journalism (UMCSAJ).  The UMCSAJ is established at the Asian College of Journalism with the support of South Asia Foundation-India, with the objectives of furthering SAF’s cardinal objective of regional cooperation among the eight SAARC countries by providing scholarships under the Madanjeet Singh Group Scholarship Scheme for scholars from the eight SAARC countries to pursue PG courses in Journalism. The UMCSAJ’s, mandate includes research on the news media in South Asia, monitoring the news media, and striving to set the bar for best practices in the profession. This Centre, for all administrative and other purposes, is a constituent unit of the ACJ.

1. The Centre, while intimating the award of scholarship, must inform the selected scholar that he or she would be liable to refund the scholarship expenditure incurred on him/her in case the scholar discontinues studies in the middle, except under unavoidable reasons.  A decision on this would be taken by the SAF Chapter Head based on the recommendation of the Director of the Centre.  The Director, for reasons to be recorded, discontinue the scholarship to a scholar if he/she is found to be delinquent towards studies and/ or his/her conduct is unbecoming.  The resultant vacancy may be filled up as may be appropriate and feasible.  The dismissal and the filling up resultant vacancies may be done only with the approval of the Chapter Head.

This clause is limited to the continuation or otherwise of the SAF scholarship and does not in any way restrict ACJ from independently enforcing its academic requirements or taking disciplinary action, where warranted, against a SAF scholar as per the norms and rules in force and as applicable to all students of the college.

1. 2.  OBJECTIVES OF THE CENTRE

UMCSAJ will offer at least 8 (eight) fully paid Madanjeet Singh Group scholarships for the SAARC countries, based on gender equality, for the postgraduate programme in journalism at the UMCSAJ.  The scholarship would include travel, board and lodging, tuition fees, insurance and other supplementary courses as may be applicable.

1. 3.  ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF UMCSAJ

1. The Centre, being an integral part of the ACJ, will be governed by the administrative structure and rules of ACJ.  However, the funding by SAF for the identified activities of the Centre listed under paras 1 & 2 of this MoU and its utilization will be monitored by an Advisory Council which shall give functional direction to the Centre.  The Director of the Centre, in consultation with the Chairman, ACJ, shall convene the meetings of the Advisory Council and shall present the annual report, the audited accounts and also present the next year’s budget and activity plan for its approval.  The Advisory Council may meet as many times as may be required but it shall meet at least once a year.  The meetings of the Advisory Council can also be held through Video Conference mode.  The composition of the Advisory Council will be as indicated below.

B. Advisory Council:

Chairman, MDF and ACJ (Ex-officio)                                                      Chairman

President, MSF or his nominee                                                                 Member

Principal Trustee, MSF or her nominee                                                   Member

Chairperson, SAF-India, or his/her nominee                                          Member

Advisor to MSF                                                                                               Member

Heads of all participating ACJ Departments (Ex-officio)                       Members

Registrar , ACJ (Ex-officio)                                                                          Member

Finance Officer, ACJ (Ex-officio)                                                                 Member

Director, UMCSAJ (Ex-officio)                                                                      Member-

                                                                                                                          Secretary

C. The quorum for a meeting of the Advisory Council shall be one-third of the total membership of the Council.  The term of the membership of the Advisory Council, other than ex-officio, shall be for three years, or the expiry of the MoU, whichever is earlier, and they shall be eligible for re-nomination or appointment, as the case may be.

D. The Director of the Centre shall be responsible for the entire functioning of the Centre and all its academic and extracurricular activities including coordination of courses, scholarships, fellowships and public relations.

1. 4.  FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION OF SAF

1. SAF undertakes to contribute an amount not exceeding US $ 100,000 (One Hundred Thousand US Dollars), or its rupee equivalent, per year towards the establishment and operation of the Centre.  The release of funds in a year would not exceed the committed amount of US $ 100,000 or the expenses of the preceding year, whichever is less and the amount will ordinarily be remitted in two instalments to the designated UMCSAJ account (having FCRA approval).  The first instalment covering the tuitions fees, boarding and lodging, pocket expenses for the academic year and travel expenses incurred to date of the scholars selected for the programme each year will be released by the first week of July each year synchronizing with the commencement of the academic year of the ACJ.  The second and final instalment covering the balance expenses incurred towards additional supplementary skill training, return travel of the scholars and expenses as per section 9 (ii) and scholarship related expenses as per section 9 (iii) will be paid on the certified accounts being submitted to SAF India. The interest, if any, earned on the funds shall be used only for the activities of the Centre and shall not be diverted to any other activity.  All sanctions of expenditure, after approval of budget by the Advisory Council of UMCSAJ, shall be through the usual procedures adopted by the ACJ as per the College rules. 

1. The Centre shall fully conform to the Scholarship Implementation Regulations, as stipulated in para 9 of this MoU.

C. The SAF Madanjeet Singh Group Scholarship Scheme shall be funded by the Madanjeet Singh Foundation (MSF).

1. 5.  SAF REGULATIONS

In conformity with the SAF Governing Council resolution adopted in 2002 at Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France, SAF shall not fund any project without at least a matching contribution in cash or kind against SAF’s financial assistance.

Before receiving due payments of subsequent instalment of funds, UMCSAJ shall submit an annual Audit report and a progress report of the Centre to the SAF-India.

It is stipulated that SAF shall discontinue funding UMCSAJ in case the Centre fails to fully comply with SAF’s cardinal objective of promoting regional cooperation as specified in this MoU.

1. 6.  UMCSAJ’s CONTRIBUTION

To match with the SAF’s contribution and in conformity with SAF Governing Council resolution of 2002, ACJ’s contribution shall be:

i)  Space for the Centre at the ACJ

ii) Research Faculty and scholars

iii) Campus accommodation to the students and the visiting faculty

iv) Internet, on-line journal access, Media resources, and any other assets and services as may be required by SAF scholars

v)  Any other logistic support needed from time to time.

vi) Other Academic, Administrative & support staff to the extent required

1. 7.  OPERATIONALIZATION OF THE MoU

This MoU shall become effective on the date on which the parties append their signatures to it.  The MoU is valid for three years from the date of signing.

1. 8.  VARIATION IN THE TERMS OF MoU

The terms of the MoU may be modified, if and when required, by the mutual consent of the parties.

1. 9.  SCHOLARSHIP IMPLEMENTATION REGULATIONS

i)    These Regulations are binding on the UMCSAJ and strict adherence to them is

mandatory.

ii)   The annual grant of funds to SAF institutions of excellence shall be provided for covering the cost of at least eight (8) SAF Madanjeet Singh Group Scholarships one from each SAARC country).  The Group Scholarship Scheme has two components, namely, ‘Scholarship Expenses’ and the ‘Scholarship Related Expenses’ in the ratio of 70:30.   The expenditure on ‘Scholarship’ component comprises:

a)    Tuition Fees

b)    Examination Fees, if any

c)    Accomodation expenses

d)    Mess expenses

e)    Stipend

f)     Yearly To & fro travel of admitted students

g)    Special course expenses, if any

h)    Field Trips

i)      Any other related expenditure (to specify)

iii) In the ‘Scholarship Related Expenditure’, component, which must not exceed 30% of the total expenditure annually incurred on SAF scholarships, comprise:

a)    Books and journals

b)    Computation expenses, if any

c)    Extension Lectures

d)    Workshops/ Seminars

e)    Expenses on account of Advisory Council Meetings

f)     Contingency expenses

g)    Any other related expenses (to specify)

iv) The Centre shall strictly adhere to the minimum number of scholarships allotted, based as for as possible on gender equality. The principle is to have fair representation of all the chapters but if any Chapter is not represented for any reason, the Chapter Head may permit students of other chapters to fill up the number. SAF scholarship funds should only be spent on scholarships and scholarship related expenses of SAF scholars and cannot be diverted or adjusted against any other purpose.

v)    No SAF funds can be spent on construction of buildings and on infrastructures such as purchase of equipment, repairs, maintenance, etc.

vi)   Any unspent amount of annual SAF grant in a year, or interest earned on SAF funds during the year, shall be carried over to cover the cost of SAF Madanjeet Singh Group Scholarships / Scholarship Related Expenses during the subsequent year.

vii)  SAF annual installment for the subsequent year shall be paid to the Centre on receipt of an authorized auditor’s report, giving the names of students on Madanjeet Singh Group Scholarships and itemized details of the expenditure incurred on each scholarship during the year.

viii) The Centre shall send its respective annual audit reports to SAF-India chapter, New Delhi, for verification so that they conform to these Regulations before they are forwarded to MSF Trustees for release of funds for the next year.

ix)   In order to streamline the expenditure pattern, the following four formats are prescribed for submission by the Centre on line:

(i)      Format on scholar profile;

(ii)     Half Yearly Format giving full details of expenses on ‘scholarship’ expenditure;

(iii)    Half Yearly Format giving full details of ‘scholarship related expenditure’; and

(iv)    Utilization Certificate incorporating the ‘scholarship’ and the ‘scholarship related

        expenditure for the whole year.

1. 10.  EARLY TERMINATION OF THE MoU

Either party shall be entitled to terminate this MoU by providing the other party with three calendar months advance notice.  The termination of this MoU, for whatever reason, will not affect the rights of a party, which may have accrued as at the date of termination and will further not affect any rights, which specifically or by their nature survive the termination of this MoU.  In case of termination of the MoU all the assets acquired by the Centre shall become a part of the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Centre of South Asian Journalism.

In agreement of the above objectives and terms and conditions, this Memorandum of Understanding is hereby signed by the below mentioned parties on this  5th day of June 2017.

Read more about "India"...

Read more about "UMCSAJ"...