A Visit to Kerala
From December 15-19, 2025, Todd Weir from the University of Groningen traveled to Kerala to visit partners at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady. Over the course of week, he took part in meetings, collaborative discussions, and delivered a lecture. The aim was to strengthen academic ties, build up the proposal for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters and to explore other avenues for future cooperation.
Although originally planned for Dec. 12-15, the schedule had to revised due to election obligations of the university staff. Thus the report here deviates from the original flyer.
The visit began on Monday, Dec. 15 with a meeting with the key representatives of the SSUS Office of International Affairs (OIA) committee, which is spearheading this collaboration. Following the opening, a meeting took place with the university management board and representatives from the Syndicate, which is the university’s governing board. This discussion focused on aligning academic priorities, identifying areas for joint research initiatives, and exploring possibilities for student and faculty exchanges. The Vice Chancellor of the University joined these talks, which continued over lunch.
In the afternoon, the visit continued with faculty members, members of the recently constituted SSUS Centre for Secular Studies. We discussed ideas for the Erasmus Mundus, including curriculum development, pedagogical innovations, and the integration of secular and traditional knowledge systems.
One Dec. 16, Prof. Weir returned for a workshop on secularity and heritage, in which he gave a lecture "Is Heritage Postsecular?"
On Friday, December 19, 2025, the visit resumed with a campus walk, which ended with a demonstration of the GIS projects taking place in the Geography Department. We discussed how these could be integrated into the overall EMJM plans. Then followed a meeting with postgraduate and doctoral students from SSUS. This interaction was especially useful for Todd Weir, as students stressed the importance of considering lack of resources of students, which would impact their ability to apply for the EMDM. For example, the cost of TOEFL exams is prohibitive for them. Todd Weir offered valuable insights into international academic opportunities, research methodologies, and the benefits of participating in Erasmus Mundus programs. The students’ enthusiasm and intellectual curiosity left a lasting impression.
The afternoon session focused on a meeting with stakeholder members, including representatives from various academic and administrative departments. This discussion centered on practical aspects of collaboration, such as funding opportunities, administrative processes for student exchanges, and the logistical frameworks needed to support joint initiatives.
Overall, the visit was a success, as it allowed for meaningful dialogue and the building of personal connections between the two institutions. The discussions held during these two days have set the stage for a health partnership between Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit and the University of Groningen, promising exciting opportunities for students, faculty, and researchers from both institutions. We discussed setting up a joint publication series, either on the Rug Blog “The Religion Factor” or in a series of working papers. The universities have signed an MoU that will enable greater staff and student exchange.
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