Aga Khan Appeals On Common Problems

By John Kakande THE Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, the Aga Khan, has called upon universities in developing and industrialised countries to work on common problems. "For universities to serve their purpose in a developing country, quality is not enough to justify the support of donors, society and the authorities...a university's offerings must also be relevant," the Imam said, according to statement issued recently by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Kampala. The Aga Khan was addressing the presidents of over 100 leading public and private research universities from around the world at the International Convocation of the American Association of Universities in Washington D.C. on Monday this week. The AKDN has projects in several countries including Uganda. It is active in fields ranging from health and education to rural development, culture, architecture and the promotion of the private sector enterprise. The Aga Khan said small private universities with strong international connections could play a big role if they seek opportunities to share their experience and human resources with other institutions and the larger society. Ends