Announcing Formation of the Zoroastrian Faculty Network (ZFN) – A Joint Project of the GWG and WZCC

Dr. Farrokh Mistree has been a long term advocate for WZCC to develop a Zoroastrian Faculty Network (ZFN) that would empower Zarathushti students to create economic, cultural & intellectual value. The Global Working Group represented by Farrokh Rustomji and Behram Pastakia were to find ways of helping students from India to gain admission into foreign universities and address related questions.

After some discussions at the recent WZCC AGM in Bangalore and Global Working Group Annual Meeting  in Mumbai (both events in December 2017) it was felt that a Joint Project between WZCC & GWG would enable us to attain this objective on a more sustainable and fast track basis.

The target is to complete the initial Action Proposals before the 11th World Zoroastrian Congress in Perth at which time GWG and WZCC can provide an update and discuss further.

ZOROASTRIAN FACULTY NETWORK (ZFN)

VISION

The GWG/WZCC in partnership with Zarathushti faculty in academia empower Zarathushti students to learn how to create economic, cultural and intellectual value.

MISSION

The GWG/WZCC in partnership with Zarathushti faculty in academia to make it possible for Zarathushti youth, through higher and specialized education, to prepare for 21st Century careers in industry, government, and academia as well as entrepreneurship.

DESIRED OUTCOMES: ZARATHUSHTI FACULTY NETWORK (ZFN)

a. WZCC business community partner with ZFN faculty to launch start-ups.

b. ZFN could be requested to provide mentoring services pro bono to prospective students  and to provide business consultation to companies on chargeable basis.

c. ZFN members mentor young Zarathushti’s in their home country to get into university. WZCC could sponsor a webinar on this topic. This refers to undergraduate students.

d. ZFN members mentor young Zarthushti’s to gain admission for graduate studies to institutions. WZCC could sponsor a webinar on this topic. This refers to graduate students.

e. ZFN members collaborate within themselves.

f. ZFN members provide information on faculty openings, post-doctoral positions, need for research assistants, etc. We discussed establishing portals but experience has shown that people do not have the time or inclination to visit portals/websites. It has to social media or something that goes to each ZFN member such as E-Blasts.

g. Senior faculty in ZFN provide career advice to junior faculty in the ZFN. Help junior faculty prepare their promotion and tenure documents. Help aspiring faculty prepare their job  applications and give mock interviews, etc.

h. ZFN members promote faculty exchanges. For student exchanges this should be on the basis of paid internships at Universities / companies / hospitals etc. for a couple of months. WZCC to help in the case of companies internships.

i. ZFN members promote faculty and student exchanges.

ACTION PROPOSALS FOR IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTION

BEFORE GWG MEETING ON JUNE 1, 2018

1. Form Working Group of 3 from USA and 3 from India.

Academia: USA – Farrokh Mistree; INDIA – Dinyar Pestonjee from Mgmt. Institute, Ahmedabad.

GWG: USA  – Behram Pastakia; INDIA – Farrokh Rustomji

WZCC: USA – Edul Daver; INDIA – Yazdi Tantra

2. Communicate formation of ZFN to the entire GWG & WZCC community to make them aware of it’s objectives and seek help in identifying academics.

3. Form Academia Group : This would consist of  about 10 – 15 university academia from USA, India, Singapore, UK & elsewhere.

Farrokh M., Behram, Farrokh R. & Dinyar to identify professors to contact and bring committed individuals into group. The group will then decide how best to communicate and subject items for communication/networking.

4. Organize a Webinar for presentation to help prospective India students with their application process. A webinar could be done in May.2018 for India ( and other countries) students entering college in September 2019.

A similar webinar could done for US in August/Sept time frame.

If you are a faculty member and would like to get involved or need more info please contact

Farrokh Mistree farrokh.mistree@ou.edu

Edul Daver eduldaver@gmail.com

Behram Pastakia bpastakia@aol.com

Yazdi Tantra yazdi@on-lyne.com

If you are a student, stay tuned here for future updates.