“Awqaf: Modernised and Modernising”
15-17 April 2015 •Asia Pacific Awqaf Development Training Symposium • Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
ABSTRACT CALL CLOSED!
In partnership with the University of Sydney, the Asia Pacific Awqaf Congress has scheduled an Asia Pacific Awqaf Development Training Symposium for 15-17th April 2015 at the University of Sydney, New Law School. This symposium targets Awqaf organisation employees, government officials, industry practitioners, lawyers, tax accountants, researchers, academics and anyone else currently involved or planning to be involved in Awqaf development.
We are now inviting abstracts in the topic areas below. All abstracts should be emailed to awqafcongress@gmail.com
STRUCTURAL EXCELLENCE OF AWQAF DEVELOPMENT
(1) Part of our problem now and historically has been to remain true to original objects of an endowment yet remain flexible enough to meet modern challenges of economic and social development. To what extent is this an aspect of waqf design? Or is it a fiqh issue? Do we need further harmonisation or more diversity?
(2) How can we ensure that management and mutawallis invest waqf funds in accordance with the intentions of the original donors and do not misapply funds? What procedures can work and how is this affected by the country’s legal framework? What experiences and examples have you had?
(3) If awqaf are to address poverty issues in the modern world, they need to address gender and the empowerment of women. To what extent is this a question for NGOs and the private sector? Do we need to collaborate with government?
(4) What are the weaknesses and limitations of country level awqaf agencies, community level awqaf agencies, private awqaf etc in the two Awqaf development stages of strategic planning/priority setting and implementation? Are they progressing in these two stages in a timely manner and is the level of efficiency in deliverables/outcomes being achieved satisfactorily? If no, what strategic shifts and commitments are needed to transform this?
(5) Any area of community development, policy development and research faces the continued choices of objective over subjective approaches. Opinions, dogmas, biases, agendas, gender issues, power blocs etc can easily slow down Awqaf development. How do we continue to make Awqaf development more objective at community, industry, national and multilateral levels?
COMPLIANCE EXCELLENCE OF AWQAF DEVELOPMENT
(6) Where waqf institutions have been newly established, what challenges have they faced? What have been their experiences with country regulators? What has been the impact of anti-terror legislation? What are ‘best practices’ in this respect?
OUTCOME EXCELLENCE OF AWQAF DEVELOPMENT
(7) In order to protect the value of waqf assets and maximise disbursements to beneficiaries, should waqf management focus on technical skills and creativity over traditional learning and Islamic commitment? What should be the focus of training programs?
(8) How do we stimulate popular participation in awqaf? Is there a role for crowd sourcing and if yes how? What are the problems in this respect and how might we overcome them?
(9) Highly effective, efficient, successful and inclusive Awqaf Institutions at community, industry, national and multilateral level are needed to accelerate Awqaf development at those levels. What are the recent experiences of Awqaf institution building so far that has led to significant improvement in deliverables and outcomes at community, national or international level?
Authors of selected abstracts beyond presenting at the training symposium can either submit a paper or copy of presentation slides.
Flight, accommodation
Ten selected presenters will be sponsored for flight, accommodation and a small honorarium. Other presenters will need to find their own funds for their costs (flight, accomodation etc). Training symposium fee will be waived for all presenters.
Partners
IRTI, AWKAF Australia and University of Sydney, Law School.
Sponsors
The sponsors, but not limited to, include KAPF and Australian Muslim community organisations.
Asia Pacific Awqaf Development Symposium 