Brac University Explained

BRAC University
Native Name:ব্র্যাক ইউনিভার্সিটি
Native Name Lang:bn
Motto:Inspiring Excellence[1]
Other Name:BracU
Type:Private research university
Affiliation:University Grants Commission (UGC)
Vice Chancellor:Syed Mahfuzul Aziz[2]
Faculty:649
Students:16,375 (2023)
Undergrad:10,029
Postgrad:1171
Postcode:1212
Coordinates:23.7732°N 90.4246°W
Campus:Urban, (city campus)[3]
Colours:
Blue, Black, Gray

BRAC University, (Bengali: ব্র্যাক ইউনিভার্সিটি, also known as BracU) is a private research university located in Merul Badda, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in 2001 as a branch of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed's BRAC under the Private University Act 1992.[4]

History

Sir Fazle Hasan Abed founded BRAC University in 2001, under the Private University Act.[5] The university was formally inaugurated by the President of Bangladesh and the Chancellor of BRAC University, Shahabuddin Ahmed, at Osmani Memorial Hall, Dhaka, on June 16, 2001.[6] The university began with just three departments and around 80 students in 2001 at Mohakhali, Dhaka.[7] [8] The university is based on the American liberal arts college model. It held its first Convocation in January 2006. As the university grew, it increased the number of programs and introduced master's degrees.[9] The development of a library with high academic standards was important to Sir Abed. The Ayesha Abed Library was digitized shortly after its inception.[10] The university had 11,200 students in 20 schools, departments, and institutes in 2020. In 2023, Brac University authorities have proposed to change its name to "Sir Fazle Hasan Abed University", and "Abed University" for short.[11] But University Grants Commission declined it.[12] Now, BRAC University has a permanent city campus in Merul Badda, Dhaka.[13] [14]

Campus

Permanent Campus

BRAC University has a permanent city campus in Merul Badda, Dhaka, a campus designed by WOHA Designs Pte Ltd., an architectural firm based in Singapore.[15] Construction of this facility began in 2017. The university building has 14 floors and a total area of 157,935 sq. meters. The facilities include an auditorium with 700 seats, a multipurpose hall with 1850 seats, classrooms, labs, design studios, lecture theaters, an IT data center, UPS, CCTVs, a cafeteria, an e-library, a parking lot, recreation facilities, and a rooftop playground.[16] The new campus is 2017 LafargeHolcim Asia Pacific- Bronze Winner awarded by LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction. Until November 2023, the educational programs were conducted at the temporary campus of Mohakhali, but from now on, all the activities will be conducted at the permanent campus of Merul Badda.[17] [18]

Residential Campus

The Residential Campus at Savar was founded in 2003 and substantially expanded in 2012.[19] Students spend a semester on the Residential Campus, where they take specific courses and fulfill community tasks during the week. Residential Semester is mandatory for every student.[20] On Fridays and Saturdays, they visit orphanages, nursing homes, and landmark sites.

Resources and facilities

Organization and administration

Leadership and management

The current structure was established in 2011.[24] The President of Bangladesh is BRAC University's Chancellor. The board of trustees is the highest policy-making body of BRAC University.[25] It has 12 members, one of them being the Vice-Chancellor. Chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, the Syndicate supervises the academic and administrative functions of the university. The Academic Council, also chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, makes education policy recommendations and reviews curricula and academic progress.

Administration

The university administration is led by the Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar, and the Heads of academic units.[26]

Vice Chancellors

Year of JoiningExpiration of Tenure of OfficeName
20012010Jamilur Reza Choudhury
20102014Ainun Nishat
20142018Syed Saad Andaleeb
20192023[27] Vincent Chang
2023presentSyed Mahfuzul Aziz

Academics

Diverse academic units serve the mission of BRAC University. Departments have degree-granting programs, schools support strategic initiatives, institutes are autonomous research entities, and centers are project-based entities.

Schools and institutes

Departments

Centres

Financial aid

BRAC University was founded to support financially disadvantaged students. One of the early donors was the BRAC Ford scholarship program. The university has developed several scholarship programs for national and international students. The Open Society Foundation and the Open Society University Network have supported student activities and education.

Student life

The Office of Student Life (OSL) was created in 2019. OSL supervises the Department of Career Services, Alumni Affairs, and Clubs & Societies.

Many of the private university students of Bangladesh live with their parents during their university life. However, BRAC University has a mandatory residential semester at their Savar residential campus.

Notable people

Faculty

Alumni

Controversies

Asif Mahtab, a part-time teacher of BRAC University[37] held a teacher's conference in January 2024 following the continuation of the textbook controversy in Bangladesh, demonstrated anti-transgenderism by tearing the pages of the seventh grade textbook.[38] In response to this protest, BRAC University authorities fired Asif Mahtab.[39] When the incident went viral on social media, many criticized BRAC and called for a boycott of all BRAC-related products and services.[40]

Students of BRAC University staged a protest in response to the dismissal of teacher Asif Mahtab and calling for clarification of BRAC University's position on transitioning.[41] In the protest rally, the students announced a boycott of all BRAC-related products, services and university classes. In addition, the Islami Andolan Bangladesh called for a boycott of Aarong and BRAC university as part of the anti-transition protest.[42] [43]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Message from the Vice Chancellor. Brac University. 19 September 2021. 20 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210920213047/https://www.bracu.ac.bd/message-vice-chancellor. live.
  2. Web site: Professor Syed Mahfuzul Aziz, PhD . 13 February 2023 . 28 October 2023 . 28 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231028074419/https://www.bracu.ac.bd/about/people/professor-syed-mahfuzul-aziz-phd . live .
  3. Web site: BRAC University New Campus | Brac University . https://web.archive.org/web/20240704090224/https://www.bracu.ac.bd/about/brac-university-new-campus . 4 July 2024 . 7 January 2019 .
  4. Web site: Message from the Founder and Chairperson Emeritus. 5 December 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20191212201008/https://www.bracu.ac.bd/message-founder-and-chairperson-emeritus . 12 December 2019 .
  5. Web site: Südasien-Institut. Universität Heidelberg.. 6 December 2023. 17 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181017204415/https://www.sai.uni-heidelberg.de/workgroups/bdlaw/1992-a34.htm. live.
  6. Web site: BRAC University Inaugurated | BRAC University . https://web.archive.org/web/20180830021847/http://www.bracu.ac.bd/news/brac-university-inaugurated . 30 August 2018 . 12 October 2014 .
  7. Web site: Brac University Annual Report 2009. 6 December 2023. 5 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230405182824/https://www.bracu.ac.bd/sites/default/files/resources/ar/Annual_Report_2009_web.pdf. live.
  8. Book: BRAC . Brac University Project Proposal and Application, Submitted to: Education Ministry and University Grants Commission . 1998 . 8.
  9. Book: BRAC. Brac University Project Proposal and Application, Submitted to: Education Ministry and University Grants Commission. 1998. 10.
  10. Book: BRAC. Brac University Project Proposal and Application, Submitted to: Education Ministry and University Grants Commission. 1998. 9, 10.
  11. Web site: Brac University proposes to change its name to 'Sir Fazle Hasan Abed University' . 11 July 2023 .
  12. Web site: Brac University proposes changing name to Abed University . 11 July 2023 .
  13. Web site: BRAC University opens its new campus in Merul Badda .
  14. Web site: BRAC University showcases new campus synergy of knowledge creation and environmental sustainability . 7 March 2024 .
  15. Web site: VIDEO-BRACU NEW CAMPUS - YouTube. 2020-08-19. www.youtube.com. 3 January 2019 . 26 July 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230726053519/https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=ov8hwj-WJvk&feature=emb_logo%20;%20https://www.dezeen.com/2020/03/17/woha-brac-university-campus-bangladesh-architecture/. live.
  16. Web site: New Campus. 7 January 2019. 25 April 2019. 25 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190425003312/https://www.bracu.ac.bd/about/brac-university-new-city-campus. live.
  17. Web site: Floating University in Bangladesh . 2023-06-06 . www.holcimfoundation.org . 7 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221107141401/https://www.holcimfoundation.org/projects/floating-university . live .
  18. Web site: BRAC University's move to Merul Badda: Students reflect on Mohakhali memories . 23 November 2023 .
  19. Web site: Residential Campus. 9 October 2013. 6 December 2023. 31 August 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230831064534/https://www.bracu.ac.bd/academics/residential-campus. live.
  20. Web site: Learning through friendship, laughter and tears . December 2019 .
  21. Web site: Welcome to BRACU Ayesha Abed Library BRACU Ayesha Abed Library. 2020-08-19. library.bracu.ac.bd. 24 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191124171018/http://library.bracu.ac.bd/. live.
  22. News: 2017-04-05. Counseling Service at Residential Semester of BRACU . Dhaka Tribune. 2020-08-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20170405171317/http://archive.dhakatribune.com/arts-culture/2015/oct/22/counseling-service-residential-semester-bracu. 5 April 2017.
  23. News: Fabrication laboratory opens at BRACU. 2020-08-19. The Independent. Dhaka. 6 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230406180505/https://www.theindependentbd.com/magazine/details/97287/Fabrication-laboratory-opens-at-BRACU-. live.
  24. Web site: Annual Report 2011. 6 December 2023. 20 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221220204645/https://www.bracu.ac.bd/sites/default/files/resources/ar/BRACU_Annual_Report_2011.pdf. live.
  25. Web site: Organization and Administration . Brac University . 9 October 2013 . 6 December 2023 . 2 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231202075044/https://www.bracu.ac.bd/about/leadership-and-management . live .
  26. Web site: Administration. 9 October 2013. 6 December 2023. 2 December 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231202014435/https://www.bracu.ac.bd/about/leadership-and-management/university-administration. live.
  27. Web site: Desk . SHOUT . 2023-01-25 . BRACU VC bids farewell as tenure ends . 2023-02-19 . The Daily Star . en.
  28. Web site: 18 November 2013 . Professor Ainun Nishat . 1 September 2017 . BRAC University.
  29. Web site: 19 April 2015. Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury, PhD was the first Vice Chancellor of BRAC University.. BRAC University Website.
  30. News: Desk . Tribune . 4 June 2023 . Brac University hosts post-budget discussion . live . 13 August 2024 . Dhaka Tribune.
  31. Web site: Professor Syed Saad Andaleeb, Ph.D. . BRAC University . 25 August 2016.
  32. News: 2019-02-14. Prof Vincent Chang new VC of Bracu. 2020-07-12. The Daily Star. en.
  33. News: Prof Vincent Chang joins BRAC University as vice-chancellor. 2020-07-12. bdnews24.com.
  34. News: Hossain . Rafi . 1 April 2017 . Mithila – A Symbol of Empowerment . The Daily Star . 22 July 2017.
  35. News: Karim . Elita . 6 January 2017 . 1 minute please . The Daily Star . 22 July 2017.
  36. Web site: Biography of H.E. Ambassador Sadia Faizunnesa.pdf. 2023-12-05 . Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  37. Web site: Controversy over inclusion of 'transgender' chapter. bangladeshpost.net.
  38. Web site: Two pages ripped, an entire nation torn apart. Sadman. Sakib. 24 January 2024. The Daily Star.
  39. Web site: BRAC Univ teacher Asif terminated. 21 April 2024. www.newagebd.net.
  40. Web site: Aarong responds to criticism.
  41. Web site: Brac University won't renew contract with Asif Mahtab. Staff. Correspondent. 29 January 2024. Prothom Alo.
  42. Web site: Inclusion of transgender rights chapter in Bangladesh school textbooks sparks debate. Benar News.
  43. Web site: Outrage at Mahtab's Dismissal: Students close B....

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