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The University of Karachi

The University of Karachi is the biggest university in Pakistan with eight faculties covering Arts, Science, Pharmacy, Management, Administrative Science, Islamic Learning, Medicine, Law and Education. Staff and students in the Department of Visual Studies led by the Chair, leading artist Durriya Kazi, have been involved in making some of the films as part of the development work behind Pakistan Calling. The university also hosted workshops by Anwar Akhtar from the Samosa as part of the programme development work. This has connected directly to the curriculum work undertaken by staff and students and to exchanging content ideas for the Pakistan Calling films with their peers at London Metropolitan University. Future films are now in development through on going course work laying the grounds for longer term collaborations and cultural exchange work through film and the wider arts with the UK.

London Metropolitan University - The Cass 

In 2012, media students at The Cass (The Sir John Cass Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design) launched the faculty's first in house Production Company, ‘We Make Films’, as part of their final year on the  BA  Film and Broadcast Production course led by tutors Charlotte Worthington and Jane Barnwell. The RSA / Samosa film and media project ‘Pakistan Calling‘ is the first of the ‘We Make Films’  collaborative projects. Following screenings of young film makers’ projects from universities in Pakistan and presentations and workshops with Anwar Akhtar from the Samosa, students met people and organisations in the UK that  work in Pakistan. Having ‘hands on‘ research during the development stage of production enabled students to produce informed films that explore links, discourses and narratives between Britain and Pakistan. The programme includes short films that look at how British Pakistanis feel about Pakistan, highlight the views of development professionals and examine the portrayal of Pakistan in the media. The Cass and ‘We Make Films‘ will together develop this pioneering programme and produce a new range of  films which expand on these themes, looking at links between Britain and Pakistan in the next academic year.

Beaconhouse National University Lahore (BNU)

Beaconhouse National University (BNU) is the first Liberal Arts University of Pakistan. Chartered by the Government of Punjab, the BNU was established in 2003 for the purpose of imparting education with a modern and rational course content, while ensuring that the history and culture of Pakistani society are respected. BNU is planned as a non profit, private university disseminating learning and encouraging research in diverse areas. The essential focus of the programs offered has been determined by the type of the work force identified for the future economic, business, academic, cultural and technological advancement of the country. As such, BNU offers students a range of subject areas.

Pakistan Calling has benefited from significant input and support from staff at BNU, led by Akifa Mian, Assistant Professor of Film. BNU held a film workshop programme with students, Akifa and Anwar Akhtar as part of the development work for Pakistan Calling in October 2012. Read more about this workshop. This has connected directly to curriculum work undertaken by students at BNU and to content ideas about the Pakistan Calling films in an exchange with their peers at London Metropolitan University. Beaconhouse have now also set up mechanisms where future films from students can be part of the Pakistan Calling programme, laying the grounds for longer term partnerships and cultural exchange with the UK through film.

Dawn Media Group

The Dawn Media Group is one of Pakistan’s leading media groups and includes Pakistan’s most read English newspaper and the highly popular news site. Dawn have also provided support and input into the programme work developed and undertaken by the UK based Samosa project. Dawn has a history of organizing welfare programmes. DawnRelief was established in October 2005 and has since extended relief and support to people affected by the earthquakes in Kashmir in 2005 and Balochistan in 2006 and aided refugees from Swat, Malakand and their adjoining areas in 2009. DawnRelief has been involved in providing shelter, food and clean drinking water to the people affected by the devastating floods that hit Pakistan in July 2010. Dawn.com have also contributed some of the films involved in the launch of Pakistan Calling.

The Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) Karachi 

SZABIST is a fully Chartered Institute established through a Legislative Act of the Sindh Assembly approved by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan, as a degree granting institution. SZABIST today is identified as a major university comprising of five campuses (including one foreign campus), three diploma centres, three intermediate colleges and one research centre. Over 5000 degrees have been awarded by SZABIST to date. Assistant Professor Shehram Mokhtar, Head of Media Sciences has worked with The Samosa to contribute films made by students to the Pakistan Calling programme, as part of the students' learning and curriculum.


This project is also supported by UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Images supplied courtesy of Tapu Javeri, The Citizens Foundation and Comprehensive Disaster Response Services  

 

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