Welcome to the Centre for Advanced Studies in India (CASII)

The Centre for Advanced Studies in India (CASII), is a registered, independent, non-profit institution set up for the promotion of excellence in higher research and for academic cooperation. It is committed to fostering cutting edge research in Cultural Studies, Sustainable Development and Methods of Clinical Research and Research Design in Social Sciences. CASII also offers Study India Programmes (SIPs) for students from foreign universities and individual groups, which will be tailored to the needs of the concerned groups. In its area of social responsibility, CASII offers vocational training to women and young men from weaker sections of society in areas such as basic computer skills and communication skills in English to enable them to take their rightful place in an information technology oriented society.

CASII is open to ideas and proposals from the entire range of Cultural Studies, Sustainable Development and Research Methodology in Social Sciences. Initially its principal emphasis in research will be in the areas listed below:

The construct of culture as a codification of knowledge; cultural studies as problematisation of discourses of knowledge; cultural studies as enabler of ideological discourses such as that of nation, gender, community, religion and race.

Sustainable Development of the region through environmental friendly policies and focus on alternative energy resources

Provision of training in research methodology especially in the fields of Clinical Trials and Social Sciences

Provide training in computer and English language skills to weaker sections of society

The overarching priority would be to achieve the above through improvement of higher education and academic research in the region, nation and further abroad.

Events and Happenings at CASII

From the 21st of February to the 6th of March 2011, five students from Universities in Germany were in India under MoUs with CASII. They visited Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Bhuj and CASII took them to sites of historical and archaeological importance in these cities. They interacted with students at the University of Mumbai, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, Ahmedabad and the KSKV University of Kachchh. They also made presentations on their academic subjects and on the German educational system. The group also had a meeting with the Dalit poets of Gujarat as some of the students have studied Dalpatbhai Chauhan’s poetry. This was a very productive meeting as Dalpatbhai had invited other members of the Gujarat Dalit Sahitya Academy to meet the students and they had a long discussion on the social and economic status of Dalits today in addition to Dalit poetry. This was an exploratory visit which would lead to longer visits to India under CASII’s Study India Programme.

From the 12th of March to the 28th of March 2011, Anna Maria Everding, Research Scholar from the Northampton University, U.K. was invited as a CASII Research Associate to visit India for data collection and study tours. She visited the Film City and Editing and Dubbing studios in Mumbai. She also spent some time in Bhuj for discussions with CASII’s Honorary Directors.