North South University (NSU), Bangladesh’s premier private university, officially inaugurated the construction of its much-anticipated new campus in Pubachal, located in the Rupganj Upazila of Narayanganj district.
Spread across over 100 acres of land, this transformative development marks a major milestone in NSU’s expansion, aiming to enhance both academic excellence and modern infrastructure. The event commenced with a special Dua and Munajat, followed by the ceremonial launch of the boundary wall construction.
The upcoming Pubachal campus is designed to accommodate up to 50,000 students, offering residential facilities for nearly 25,000. The master plan includes cutting-edge academic buildings, contemporary residential halls, expansive sports grounds, eco-friendly green spaces, modern cafeterias, well-equipped libraries, and dedicated research centers — all reflecting NSU’s vision of building a world-class educational institution in Bangladesh.
Speaking at the inauguration, NSU vice chancellor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury expressed heartfelt excitement: “This is a moment of great pride for us. Despite many challenges, we are now turning our long-standing vision into reality.”
He also paid homage to the late founding member and former chairman of the NSU Board of Trustees, emphasizing the university’s commitment to fulfilling their dreams through this groundbreaking project.
The event was moderated by NSU project director Engineer Mushtaq Habib, who noted, “We have envisioned this new campus since 2016. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter as we work toward offering a truly world-class academic environment for our students.”
The ceremony saw the presence of key university stakeholders, including members of NSU board of trust, treasurer and acting pro vice chancellor Abdur Rob Khan, registrar Ahmed Tazmeen, academic deans, faculty members, students and administrative staff.
Brac University Alumnus Hasibul Hasan Ahmed Secures Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for Top-Ranked MESPOM Environmental Science Program
Hasibul Hasan Ahmed, a distinguished alumnus and current coordinator of the Social Impact Lab at Brac University, has been awarded the prestigious Erasmus Mundus Scholarship to join the globally renowned MESPOM (master’s in environmental sciences, policy and management) program.
The Erasmus Mundus MESPOM program is recognized as one of the world’s leading master’s degrees in the field of environmental science and sustainability policy. In 2025, the program maintained an incredibly selective admission rate—accepting only 22 students from over 2,000 applicants, making the acceptance rate just 1.1%.
MESPOM is a joint program hosted by four top-tier European institutions:
Central European University (CEU)
Lund University (Sweden) – Ranked 3rd globally in Environmental Sciences (QS Rankings)
The University of Manchester (UK) – Ranked 9th globally in the same category
The University of the Aegean (Greece)
Hasibul’s achievement reflects not only his personal dedication to environmental policy and sustainable development, but also highlights Brac University’s growing international reputation for academic excellence, leadership, and innovation in the field of climate action and social impact.
This milestone showcases how Brac University continues to empower changemakers committed to solving the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.
The process of student admission to graduate programs in the 2025 summer session at the private North South University has begun. Applications must be submitted online. 51 scholarship opportunities will be offered based on the results of the admission test in 17 graduate programs.
Subjects in which you can graduate
Masters of Business Administration (MBA),
Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA),
MS in Economics
Masters in Development Studies (MDS),
MS in CSE,
MS in EEE,
MA in English (Linguistics, Language, TOEFL),
MS in Biotechnology (MSBTEC),
MA in History and Asian Studies (MAHAS) ,
MSc in Civil Engineering,
M Pharm General Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy (M Pharm PCP),
M. Pharm in Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceuticals (M.Pharm PTB),
M. Pharm. in Environmental Science and Management (MESM),
Masters in Public Health (MPH),
Executive Masters of Public Health (EMPH),
Masters of Law (LLM),
Executive Masters in Policy and Governance (EMPG),
Masters of Science in Applied Mathematics and Computational Science (AMCS).
*Online application website: apply.northsouth.edu
Required admission dates
Application deadline: 23 April 2025.
Admission test date: 25 April 2025.
For detailed information, visit the website: www.northsouth.edu.
For North South University admission coaching, you can contact us at Bright Admission Coaching.
North South University considers quality in admissions: Vice Chancellor
North South University (NSU) summer semester 2025 admission test has been held. 8600 candidates participated in the test held on Friday (April 11) for admission to four schools (undergraduate programs).
NSU vice chancellor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, treasurer and pro vice chancellor (acting) Abdur Rob Khan and director of the Office of Admissions (Undergraduate) KM Salam visited the examination center at that time.
Abdul Hannan Chowdhury said that this university is different from any other university in the country. Here, we consider the quality of students, not the number. We do not talk about numbers in admissions. We do not judge the number of students who will be admitted by 2,000 or 4,000.
Vice chancellor of North South University said these things during an exchange of views with the parents of students who appeared for the admission test of various undergraduate courses on Friday.
In response to a question about the total number of students to be admitted in various subjects at the undergraduate level, the vice chancellor said, “We have a standard; we accommodate the quality of students we want. Whatever the number is, we will accommodate those who meet that standard.”
And qualitative means that we do not think of bringing to this university anyone who we see will have difficulty studying in this university, who will not be able to follow its curriculum, who will harm his own career.
It has been 35 years since the establishment of this university. The way it has now become known as a quality university on a few issues, in the next you will see in the next 20/30 years that it has been able to gain a good reputation not only in Bangladesh and Asia but all over the world. Here, education is not taught in the traditional way but in an exceptional way.
We have been working for the last 35 years to make this university a world-class educational institution. We have kept 500 teachers from different countries of the world for students, which is unprecedented in the history of any educational institution in Bangladesh. We have created that environment.
In response to the rumors of many about the high cost of studying at our university, he said, so far, we have given scholarships worth 4.5 billion takas, 1700 children of freedom fighters have been educated for free and 76 students who were injured in the recent opposition movement have been given free education and 12 lakh takas for their treatment.
And we have helped the family of the student who died. You will assume that the decision taken by North South University and its authorities is to ensure the quality of education. For this, the teachers of the university and all of us are working day and night. We are working for the development and career of our future generations.
For this, he sought the support and cooperation of the guardians. He said, Trust us, no such action/decision is taken against any student or anyone that disrupts the educational environment and education. If any decision needs to be taken in this regard, it is done in a new and innovative way. Other educational institutions follow North South University in these matters.
NSU vice chancellor also said, we do not talk about numbers in admission. We do not consider whether we will admit two thousand or four thousand. Out of the 8,600 candidates who will meet our requirements in today’s admission test, we will provide space in the university for all those who meet our requirements so that they can be taught. We are not like other universities, which will have a campus within a thousand bighas, but we will admit 300 people.
We are the university where quality young generation students need admission; we will accommodate them. Next week, the construction of a boundary wall of three and a half miles on the three and a half bighas of land of the new campus will be started for them. Which will be an example in Bangladesh. The university was established in a small area in Banani 35 years ago.
We have 25,000 students in this current campus. When the university expands to 3 and a half bighas for the future young generation, it will be built as a green and eco-friendly campus. For this, you seek everyone’s cooperation.
Meanwhile, the NSU Admissions Office has said that the results of the admission test will be announced within three to four days. To know about this, it has been requested to visit the official website of NSU.
Brac University School of Education associate professor Sabreena Ahmed was awarded a grant of USD 4000 by the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies (AIBS), USA. The grant was awarded under the category “Professional Development for Bangladeshi Scholars” to support her academic visit to the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK), USA.
From April 26 to April 30, 2025, Dr. Ahmed collaborated with Dr. Fatima T. Zahra assistant professor of Evaluation, Statistics and Methodology in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at UTK. Dr. Zahra is the Founder and Principal Investigator of the Artificial Intelligence, Race and Evaluation (AIRE) Lab at University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
During her visit, Dr. Ahmed and Dr. Zahra worked together on the draft of a joint research project titled “Readiness of Teachers and Students for Using Generative AI (GENAI) in Bangladeshi Government and Private Universities.” The collaboration focused on preparing the project for Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval and outlining the framework for data collection.
In addition to research development, the visit also included discussions on potential future collaborations between the AIRE Lab and Brac University.
Office of External Affairs (OEA) at North South University (NSU) successfully hosted an engaging session with York University, Canada
Office of External Affairs (OEA) at North South University (NSU) successfully hosted an engaging and insightful session titled “Understanding Our Economic World: Business, Society, and Your Life at York University” in collaboration with York University, Canada.
Held at the SBE Conference Room at NSU, the event aimed to foster global academic cooperation and enhance students’ learning experiences through interdisciplinary dialogue and research.
This session was led by Dr. John Justin McMurtry, Professor and Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies at York University. Dr. McMurtry offered thought-provoking perspectives on the intricate relationship between business, society, and global economic trends. He underscored the importance of international academic partnerships in promoting transdisciplinary collaboration and highlighted York University’s efforts to translate academic knowledge
Interactive nature of the session created a vibrant platform for intellectual exchange among students and invited guests. Participants engaged in enriching discussions, gaining deeper insights into global economic interdependencies and their implications on individual lives. Dr. McMurtry left students with a powerful message: “If you can do something that others can’t, you can get the most benefit out of it.”
Prior to the session, Dr. McMurtry, accompanied by Ms. Shuchita F. Husain, Regional Recruitment Manager—South and Southeast Asia at York University, met with NSU’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (In-charge), along with deans and key academic and administrative leaders. These meetings focused on exploring avenues for future collaboration, including faculty and student exchange programs and joint academic initiatives, further strengthening ties between NSU and York University.
This event exemplified NSU’s ongoing commitment to building international partnerships and broadening students’ global perspectives.
UIU Becomes Bangladesh’s First Regional Hub for Harvard Health Systems Innovation Lab
United International University (UIU) has been recognized as the first Regional Hub in Bangladesh for the Harvard Health Systems Innovation Hackathon 2025, an annual event aimed at developing AI-powered solutions for superior health systems. The hackathon is held annually in collaboration with the Health Systems Innovation Lab (HSIL) of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The competition, which has established over 20 regional hubs worldwide, focuses on the use of artificial intelligence to build high-value health systems.
Main theme of the 2025 hackathon is the use of artificial intelligence to build high-value health systems. The initiative has established more than 20 regional hubs around the world. Notable hubs this year include Harvard University (USA), University of Sydney (Australia), King’s College London (UK), Koc University (Turkey), Tsinghua University (China), NTU (Singapore), and UIU from Bangladesh.
Two-day competition, scheduled for April 11-12, will see participants form multidisciplinary teams to invent AI-powered healthcare solutions. The winning teams from each regional hub will participate in the global evaluation phase, with the most promising innovations included in the HSIL Venture Incubation Program.
Hackathon is open to everyone, including university students, researchers, young professionals, and emerging startups, and participants are expected to come from diverse fields such as healthcare, public health, medicine, engineering, computer science, and business. Teams of three to five members will be encouraged to develop promising new ideas rather than complete solutions.
Hackathon aims to develop promising new ideas within 48 hours, with ideas potentially including electronic health record analysis, improved diagnosis and monitoring, health support chatbots, health literacy, preventive health, artificial intelligence in pediatrics and other contemporary health innovation projects.
U.S. Embassy Dhaka Announces 2026-2027 Fulbright Foreign Student Program Application
U.S. Embassy in Dhaka is launching the 2026-2027 Fulbright Foreign Student Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE). The program offers scholarships for young professionals to pursue a master’s degree in the United States. The program is open to junior faculty members working at higher education institutions in Bangladesh and junior to mid-level employees at research organizations, think tanks, and NGOs.
Program focuses on American studies, energy, security, migration, business, economics, international relations, public administration, public policy, education, biological and physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Eligibility requirements include having a four-year bachelor’s degree with an outstanding academic record from an accredited public or private university in Bangladesh, not having a degree from a U.S. college/university or enrolled in a current degree program in the United States, not holding a master’s degree from any foreign country, having at least two years of full-time professional experience relevant to the proposed field of study, being fluent in English with a minimum iBT TOEFL score of 90 / IELTS 7.0, and being a Bangladeshi citizen residing in Bangladesh at the time of application.
To apply, applicants must submit a completed online application, academic transcripts and certificates from each post-secondary institution attended, three recommendation letters, an academic records information form, a valid TOEFL/IELTS score, and a GRE or GMAT score. Applications are due on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. BST.
For TOEFL, IELTS, GRE and GMAT online and offline preparation practice, you can contact us at Bright Admission Coaching.
Japanese universities with a strong international focus have climbed the national rankings this year, as outbound student exchanges continue to recover at varying rates following the pandemic.
Tohoku University retains its position as Japan’s top institution in the Times Higher Education Japan University Rankings 2025. Tokyo Institute of Technology has moved up two places to second, while The University of Tokyo has dropped to third.
Akita International University returns to the top 10 for the first time since 2020, alongside other internationally oriented universities that have improved their standings, such as Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Kanda University of International Studies, Kobe City University of Foreign Studies, St. Luke’s International University and Miyazaki International University.
However, not all globally focused institutions saw gains—Kyoto University of Foreign Studies fell 18 spots to 97th place and International Christian University slipped from 10th to 11th.
Japan University Rankings 2025: Top 10
Rank
Previous Year Rank
Institution
1
1
Tohoku University
2
4
Tokyo Institute of Technology
3
2
The University of Tokyo
4
5
Kyoto University
5
6
Kyushu University
6
3
The University of Osaka
7
8
Nagoya University
8
7
Hokkaido University
9
9
University of Tsukuba
10
15
Akita International University
Japan’s Push for Internationalization
This year’s data paints a complex picture of internationalization in Japanese higher education, as policymakers work to strengthen the country’s global presence through its universities.
A key component of this effort is encouraging more Japanese students to study abroad—whether for full degree programs or short-term exchanges. In 2023, the government set an ambitious target: sending 500,000 students abroad annually by 2033.
Given that only 220,000 Japanese students went abroad in 2019, this goal presents a significant challenge.
“The target is very ambitious,” said Tatsu Hoshino, executive secretary of the Japan Association of Overseas Studies (JAOS).
However, the reasoning behind it is clear.
“Japan’s population is shrinking, and with the globalization of business, Japan’s international competitiveness is on the decline,” Hoshino explained. By sending more students overseas, policymakers hope to strengthen Japan’s economic ties, improve national development, and foster a more outward-looking society.
Recovery from the Pandemic
Outbound student numbers plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and recovery has been uneven across institutions.
Universities with a history of high student mobility have rebounded the fastest. Among the 27 universities where over 10% of students previously studied abroad, outbound mobility has returned to 90% of pre-pandemic levels.
Institutions that had less than 3% of students studying abroad before COVID have recovered to 86%.
Universities in the middle range have seen the slowest recovery.
But simply returning to pre-pandemic numbers won’t be enough to reach the government’s ambitious goal.
Barriers and Opportunities
To accelerate outbound student numbers, Tokyo’s local government is preparing grants to support study abroad. However, Hoshino argues that financial aid alone won’t be enough—employers also need to place greater value on international experience to incentivize students to pursue it.
Despite these challenges, Hoshino remains optimistic.
With Japan’s domestic market shrinking, businesses are expanding internationally, making graduates with global experience more desirable.
“Japan is an island nation with a considerable economic scale, and until now, people could lead fulfilling lives within the country,” Hoshino said.
However, demographic shifts and pandemic-driven changes have altered this reality.
“Japan’s young people are starting to realize that it’s no longer possible to live without connections to the outside world.”
Department of Social Relations at East West University in collaboration with the East West University Health and Well-Being Club (EHWC) hosted a seminar titled “Cervical Cancer Awareness” in the S. M. Nousher Ali Lecture Gallery
The Department of Social Relations at East West University (EWU) in collaboration with the East West University Health and Well-Being Club (EHWC) held a seminar on cervical cancer awareness on 27 February. The seminar, chaired by Professor Dr. Md. Mobarak Hossain Khan, featured external speakers Dr. Sanjida Ahmed Soma and Dr. Marzia Zaman Sultana. The seminar aimed to raise awareness among young females of reproductive age, who are a vulnerable group for cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer has become a major public health problem in Bangladesh, with an increasing number of patients, related deaths, and case fatality rates. In 2022, over 660,000 women were estimated to have been diagnosed with cervical cancer worldwide, and about 350,000 women died from the disease. Bangladesh has a population of 64.0 million women aged 15 and older who are at risk of developing cervical cancer.
Dr. Sanjida highlighted the World Health Organization’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative, launched in November 2020, with the goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2100. To achieve this, all countries must reach and maintain an incidence rate of fewer than 4 new cases of cervical cancer per 100,000 women per year. Three key pillars and their corresponding targets are vaccination, screening, and treatment.
The seminar ended with a vote of thanks from the program chair, emphasizing the importance of public awareness of cervical cancer and its vaccination, especially for young adults. Female students were eager to learn and asked many questions about the topic. The seminar was a valuable opportunity for the EWU Health and Well-Being Club to raise awareness and accelerate the pace of elimination of cervical cancer.
