Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SAF and BNU to establishment & Management of UMISAA -Renewed on November 2014

UNESCO MADANJEET SINGH INSTITUTE FOR SOUTH ASIAN ARTS (UMISAA)

AT BEACONHOUSE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, LAHORE

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between:

The South Asian Foundation (SAF), a secular, non profit, non political organization, hereinafter referred to as “SAF”, on one part

AND

The Beaconhouse National University, a non profit chartered university created by an Act of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab, Pakistan, located at Lahore, hereinafter referred to as “BNU” on the second part (hereinafter collectively referred to as “parties”)

Sets forth the agreements reached between the parties relating to the establishment and management of the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Institute for South Asia Arts (UMISAA) .  The SAF Governing Council, at its annual meeting held on 18^th November 2014, have given approval to have the MoU renewed for a further period of 5 years as the MoU signed earlier lapses on 21.11.2014.

 1.   ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INSTITUTE

 i)  With the aim of furthering the SAF’s cardinal objective of promoting regional cooperation by creating greater opportunities for interaction among artists, practitioners, teachers, students, scholars and writers from South Asian countries, UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Institute for South Asian Arts (UMISAA), hereinafter referred to as “Institute”, shall be established at BNU.

 ii)   The SAF’s programme of Madanjeet Singh Group Scholarships (for the students from      SAARC Countries) is operative in BNU”s School of Visual Arts (SVAD) for at least 16 fully paid scholarships covering tuition fees, travel, board and lodging which are awarded each year on the basis of gender equality to two students from each of the SAARC country.  The SAF Scheme of Scholarships shall be funded by the Madanjeet Singh Foundation (MSF).  These scholarships and their costs shall become the responsibility of the Institute.

 2.   OBJECTIVES OF THE INSTITUTE

 To achieve this goal, the Institute will:

i)    organize workshops, seminars, exhibitions, short term trainings, artists in residence programmes and such other creative activities related to various art forms;

ii)   provide Teaching Fellowships and Professorships to augment quality of teaching and   learning;

iii)  provide a platform and facilitate exchange of ideas and promote better understanding among art communities of various SAARC countries by hosting inter country activities by artists, art scholars, writers, thinkers and art educationists;

iv) organize panel discussions, lectures, workshops and online programmes;

v)  conduct research on different aspects of South Asia Art and publish the results for wider dissemination; and

vi) such other activities, within the overall objectives of the SAF, as may be approved by the Governing Council of the Institute.

 

3.   ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

i)     Advisory Council

Vice Chancellor BNU                                                                          Chairperson

Dean, School of Visual Arts BNU                                                      Member

One MSF Trustee and 4 outside subject experts                           Members

(two of whom shall be from other SAARC Countries)

nominated by Ms. France Marquet, MSF Trustee,                          Or her nominee

Deans of all other BNU Schools                                                       Members

Financial Controller BNU                                                                    Member

Registrar BNU                                                                                       Member

Director of the Institute                                                                         Member Secretary

ii)     The Advisory Council shall be responsible for the general superintendence, reviewing the activities of the Institute.  The Director, in consultation with the Vice Chancellor, shall convene the Advisory Council’s meeting as many times as may be required, but will meet at least once in a year.  The Director shall present the annual report, the annual audit report and also the activity plan for next year along with a budget of the approval of the Advisory Council.

iii)    Director

The Director of UMISAA, who is also currently the Chairperson, SAF-Pakistan, shall work on honorary basis. The Director shall be responsible for the functioning of the Institute and all its academic and cultural activities.

 4.    ACADEMIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

 i)    Staff of the Institute shall be appointed by the Vice Chancellor on the recommendation of the Director keeping in view the criteria prescribed by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC).

 ii)   Remuneration/ fees including boarding and lodging expenses of the artists, practitioners, teachers, students, scholars and writers whosoever invited for the activities of the Institute shall be determined by the Director of the Institute in accordance with the annual budget of the Institute.

 iii)  BNU will provide administrative services to the Institute and will receive reimbursement according to the criteria approved by the Advisory Council.

 5.    FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION OF SAF

 i)    SAF undertakes to contribute US $ 1,000,000/- (one million US dollars) towards the establishment and operation of the institute spread over a period of five years.  The first instalment of the aforesaid contribution would not be less than US $ 200,000/- (two hundred thousand US dollars).  The Institute shall send a summary of the budget at the beginning of the calendar year to Madanjeet Singh Foundation (MSF).  It will be paid by MSF into the SAF-Pakistan bank account or to BNU account in two or three instalments during the year as per requirement.  All expenditures, after approval of the budget by the Advisory Council, shall be incurred according to the BNU procedures.

 ii)   The profit earned on the funds of the Institute, if any, shall be carried over to next year for the activities of the Institute and shall not be diverted to any other activity.

 6.    PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION OF SAF FOUNDER

The Institute located in the SVAD Complex at the new BNU campus will maintain strong links with both the Schools.  SAF Founder Ambassador Madanjeet Singh contributed an amount of US $ 500,000/- (five hundred thousand US dollars) from his personal account as 50% of the cost of construction of the Institute including furnishing and equipment.  The remaining is to be funded by BNU.  Any further and future expenses on account of maintenance, repairs, etc., shall be borne by BNU.

 7.    SAF REGULATIONS

 i)    The Institute/ BNU will abide by 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, the Institute shall submit an annual Audit Report and a Progress Report of the Institute to the SAF Trustees.
• It is stipulated that SAF shall discontinue funding the Institute in case the Institute fails to comply with SAF’s cardinal objective of promoting regional cooperation as specified in this MoU.

 8.    BNU’S CONTIRIBUTION

 i)      To match with the SAF’s contribution and in conformity with the SAF Governing Council resolution of 2002, the BNU agree to provide:

1. Space for construction of the Institute;
2. 50% of the cost of construction of the building of the Institute
3. Access to Internet, library, online journals, media resources and sports facilities;
4. Any other logistic support needed from time to time for any activities to be carried out in furtherance of the objectives of the Institute;
5. Academic, administrative and support staff to the extent required in accordance with Section 4 above.

 9.    SCHOLARSHIP IMPLEMENTATION REGULATIONS

 i)    These Regulations are binding on the Institute 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 16 or 8 SAF Madanjeet Singh Group Scholarships, (2 or 1 as the case may be, 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)    Accommodation expenses

d)    Mess expenses

e)    Stipend

f)     Yearly To & fro travel

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:

iv) The Institute shall increase the number of scholarships, based on gender equality, subject to the availability of allocated annual funds provided by SAF.

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 / Scholarships related expenses during the subsequent year.

 vii) SAF annual instalment for the subsequent year shall be paid to the Institute 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 Institute 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 Institute 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.  This Utilization Certificate should accompany the annual audited statement.

10.  OPERATIONALIZATION OF THE MOU

This MoU shall become effective on the date upon which the parties append their signatures to it.  It shall be responsibility of the BNU to seek the approval of the authorities of BNU and observe relevant laws of the land and its confirmation that it has obtained all the requisite necessary approvals.

11.  VARIATIONS IN TERMS OF MOU

 The terms of the MoU may be modified in writing as and when required with the consent of the parties.

 12.  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 reasons will not affect the rights of a party which may have accrued as at the date of termination and will also not affect any rights which specifically or by their nature survive the termination of this MoU.

      In agreement of the above objectives and terms and conditions, this MoU is hereby signed by the parties on this the 20^th day of November 2014.

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