People of USask: Dr. Asit Sarkar
Dr. Asit Sarkar’s passion for the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has grown over the years. He retired after 37 years of service in the Edwards School of Business as a professor, department head, associate dean, and acting dean.
Dr. Asit Sarkar’s passion for the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has grown over the years. He retired after 37 years of service in the Edwards School of Business as a professor, department head, associate dean, and acting dean. During his time on campus, he also served as the founding director of the USask International Office, now the International Office and a part of the International Students and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC). After his many years on campus, Dr. Sarkar continues to be connected to the USask community as a donor, giving back to students and university that he loves.
Q. Why did you decide to teach at USask?
Back in 1970, I was in Texas teaching and I was looking for a change. I was doing some research and saw that the University of Saskatchewan had a great history and was going through major expansion. I learned that the College of Commerce, now Edwards School of Business, was one of the earliest commerce faculties in the British Commonwealth. When I made the move to work at the University of Saskatchewan, they were very welcoming.
Q. Do you have a favourite memory of your time as a member of faculty?
My favourite memories go back to the quality of students that I had who were committed to learning. Many of my former students have gone on to do remarkable things. There are strong entrepreneurs, senior executives of Canadian, multinational and multilateral organizations, CEOs, and some of them represent Canada in diplomatic positions around the world. Their success convinced me that an education at the University of Saskatchewan – if you are really focused on it – can take you far.
Q. What do you think is the importance of giving?
As a faculty member and then leading the international office, I got to know the campus in a way that not many faculty members get to know it. I was able to make Saskatchewan my home. I spent more time in Saskatchewan than in any other place. The University of Saskatchewan is what brought me here. I feel like it is important to give back to the community and university that has allowed me to do everything that I wanted to do. My association with USask helped me to open new doors for students, faculty, and the institution itself as to many businesses in markets around the world. So, I like to try and open doors for others.
Q. How do you think USask is actively being what the world needs?
In 1993, the University of Saskatchewan expanded its world vision and began to focus on global partnerships. Now there is more institutional collaboration. The world’s quest for global education has expanded and USask has responded. We now have more students from different parts of the world and wider and stronger collaboration with more institutions around the world. We are now more appreciative of having a campus with diverse cultures and voices. From its formal start of world journey thirty years ago, the University of Saskatchewan has truly become a university that the world needs.
This is increasingly reflected in the work of some of the flagship research centres of USask like the Global Institute for Food Security, the Global Institute for Water Security, and the VIDO-InterVac as well as the national centre like Canadian Light Source – all the research that is being done in centres like these are not only what Canada needs but also what the world needs.
It’s the People of USask who enable us to be what the world needs.