To establish a non-discriminatory, just and balanced society, build a developed and prosperous nation, and create skilled and competent leadership in state governance, it is necessary to develop the National University, the largest and second largest higher education institution in the country and the world, as a Center of Excellence. Because the National University provides 70 percent of the country’s higher education.
This university controls about 2,500 government and private colleges and professional educational institutions across the country.
In the address of the Senate Chairman at the ‘Special Senate Session’ of the National University on Sunday, National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. ASM Amanullah said these things.
He said that although it was established in 1992, the National University unfortunately could not reach the desired height in the long 33 years.
Taking advantage of the opportunity for change in the country as a result of the July mass uprising, the current administration of the National University has taken various reform programs and action plans to develop this university into a full-fledged university that builds society.
If these are implemented, there will be qualitative changes in higher education in the country as a whole, as well as in this university, and suitable employment opportunities will be created for students.
The VC also said that to develop students as skilled human resources, the syllabus of undergraduate, graduate-honors and postgraduate classes has been reformed and ICT and English subjects have been made mandatory.
Training will be provided on Artificial Intelligence-AI and Data Science to develop them to face the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
In addition, 50,000 students will be trained on freelancing in the first phase with the National University’s own funding.
Students will receive training in the second phase. For this, initiatives have been taken to sign memorandums of understanding with various renowned universities and institutions in the country and abroad, form career clubs in affiliated colleges, and establish various institutes and labs.
He said that in addition to PhD and MPhil programs in 31 subjects, Master in Development and Policy Studies-MDPS and Master of Public Health-MPH courses have already been introduced, skill development training for teachers and officials has been started, construction of examination centers in all districts, construction of new regional centers and district college monitoring activities have been started.
Senate members participated in the discussion on the address of the Senate Chairman. They gave various suggestions and assured to be by the side of the current administration of the National University in implementing the initiatives.
National University Pro Vice-Chancellors Professor Md. Lutfar Rahman and Professor Dr. Md. Nurul Islam, Treasurer Professor Dr. ATM Zafrul Azam, 54 Senate members and Deans, Registrars, Teachers and Directors of various departments of the National University were present in the special Senate session.
Also invited guests were Senior Secretary of the Planning Commission Dr. Md. Mokhles Ur Rahman, Honorary Professor of the Department of Sociology of Dhaka University Dr. AI Mahbub Uddin Ahmed, Chairman of Bangla Academy Professor Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque, Vice-Chancellor of Naogaon University Professor Dr. Mohd. Hasanat Ali, Professor of Physics Department of Dhaka University Dr. Md. Aminul Islam Talukder, Principal of Hazrat Shah Ali Women’s College in Dhaka Rana Ferdous Ratna and Principal of Ragib Rabeya College in Sylhet Md. Enamul.