University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) successfully held the opening ceremony of “Mentors’ Study Abroad presents Hult Prize at ULAB 2025/26” at the Forum Hall of its permanent campus on Saturday, marking the beginning of one of the most anticipated social entrepreneurship events of the academic year.
Recognized globally as the “Nobel Prize for students,” the Hult Prize engages over a million students from more than 120 countries to develop innovative startups addressing humanity’s most pressing challenges, and ULAB is once again proud to be part of this transformative movement, said a press release issued on Sunday.
The ceremony was attended by guests including Prof Jude William Genilo, pro vice-chancellor of ULAB; Prof Sarwar Uddin Ahmed, dean of the School of Business; Shamsuddin Ahamad, assistant professor and director, EMBA Program, School of Business; and Zeeshan Ahmed, adviser for Hult Prize at ULAB, alongside national Hult Prize leaders; Md Abid Shaharia, national community coordinator, Bangladesh; and Md Aminul Islam, national coordinator, Bangladesh, as well as Tahiya Islam, country manager for Bangladesh at HerWILL, who delivered a featured session titled “Cracking the SDG Code: Building Businesses with Purpose.”
Speakers emphasized that Hult Prize at ULAB is not merely a competition, but a launchpad for changemakers, cultivating entrepreneurial mindsets through mentorship, workshops, and real-world problem solving aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
ULAB expressed its sincere appreciation to its title sponsor, Mentors’ Study Abroad, for championing youth leadership and supporting students in shaping sustainable futures, along with gratitude to all event partners for their continued collaboration.
This year’s competition includes three major phases--the abstract presentation round on December 5, 2025, the project development round on December 15, 2025, and the grand finale on January 17, 2026, where ULAB’s champion team will move forward in pursuit of the global $1 million seed funding opportunity.
The opening ceremony closed with a compelling call to action, urging students to dream boldly, collaborate fearlessly, and transform ideas into impact, as the campus director for Mentors’ Study Abroad presents Hult Prize at ULAB 2025/26, Salman Al Farsy said: “This is just the beginning. Welcome to Hult Prize at ULAB 2025/26!”
