The Secretary of International Convention of Asian Scholars (ICAS), Dr. Paulus van der Velde, has paid a courtesy call on the new Acting Director of the Institute of African Studies (IAS), Professor Francis Dodoo.
The visit was to apprise Professor Dodoo about preparations towards the inaugural and first biennial international conference of the Association for Asian Studies in Africa (A-ASIA),
which is scheduled to be held from 24 – 26 September 2015 at the University of Ghana, Legon under the theme "Asian Studies in Africa: Challenges and Prospects of a New Axis of Intellectual Interactions."
Dr. Velde was accompanied by two representatives of the Local Organizing Committee for the Conference, Dr. Lloyd Amoah, Lecturer at the Ashesi University, and Mr. Akunu Dake, Member of the IAS Management Committee and Event Manager for the Conference. According to Dr. Amoah,the conference would be the culmination of discussions and a
roundtable held in Zambia in 2012, which led to the establishment of the pan-African 'Association for Asian Studies in Africa'. He indicated that the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) and other partners from Africa and Asia had been working on an initiative to promote the study of and teaching on Asia at African universities and, equally, to promote African Studies in Asia. He added that about 250 scholars and researchers from universities in Africa and Asia as well as other parts of the world are expected to participate in the conference.
Professor Francis Dodoo referred to the interest of the University for the establishment of a Centre of Asian Studies on Legon campus, and was hopeful about participation of UG faculty in the conference since the theme was in line with the University's position on Asian studies. He pledged the continued support of the Institute, and stressed the need for graduate student participation in the conference to ensure its sustainability into the future.
Mr. Akunu Dake presented details of logistical preparations towards the conference as well as the programme and related activities outlined for the conference. He expressed gratitude to the Institute as well as the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD) and Ashesi University College for their support as local partners of the conference.
From left: Dr. Lloyd Adu Amoah, Lecturer, Ashesi University; Dr. Paulus van der Velde, Secretary of ICAS; Professor Francis Dodoo, Acting Director, IAS; Mr Akunu Dake, Member, IAS Management Committee and Conference Manager; Ms. Mavis Addotey, Senior Assistant Registrar, IAS