Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) and Fo Guang Shan Education Centre, Malaysia have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to establish a joint Humanistic Buddhism Research Centre at QAU. The MoA was signed by esteemed representatives, including Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmed Akhtar (SI) and Director, Prof. Dr. Ghani-ur-Rahman from the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations, QAU. Meanwhile, the Fo Guang Shan Education Centre was represented by the Head of the President’s Office Chang Yin Liang (Ven. You Deng), and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Malaya, Prof. Dr. Danny Wong Tze Ken.

The agreement will promote and facilitate academic and research collaboration between the two institutions, focusing on the humanities, culture, and history, as well as research on the teachings of Buddha and Humanistic Buddhism. While addressing the ceremony, the Vice Chancellor said that Gandhara civilization thrived in the region and profoundly influenced the art, culture, and religion of the area and beyond. “This partnership and establishment of the Humanistic Buddhism Research Centre at Quaid-i-Azam University would promote interfaith dialogue and help us to understand the history of the region” he added.

The ceremony was also attended by Dr. Fasiha Ijlal, President, Silk Road Centre, Dr. Ijlal Hussain, Vice President Silk Road Centre, Mr. Leong Kam Fong, Fo Guang Shan Education Centre, Dr. Firuza Begham Binti Mustafa, Deputy Dean, Faculty Arts & Social Sciences, University Malaya. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Idrees, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, QAU, Prof. Dr. Shahid Hameed, Dean, Faculty of Natural Sciences, QAU, Prof. Dr. Sarwat Jahan, Dean, Faculty of Biological Sciences, QAU, Prof. Dr. Tasawar Hayat, Member Syndicate, QAU, Dr. Salma Malik, Director, External Linkages, QAU and Dr. Raja Qaiser Ahmed, Registrar, QAU.