Kazi Nazrul Islam made his first arrival in Bangladesh at Trishal, located in the Mymensingh district. When Nazrul lived at Namapara in Trishal, he went to Darirampur High School, now known as Nazrul Academy. Around 93 years after the poet arrived in Trishal, a university was founded in that place in his honour and named Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University. The university is widely known as Nazrul University.
Prof Dr Soumitra Sekhar, leading Bengali linguist, educationist, and Nazrul researcher, joined as the Vice-Chancellor of the University in December 2021. Since he took charge, the current administration has been taking the university forward with his leadership and vision in advancing the university with the motto of "Education, Research, and Development."
International collaboration
Multiple Memorandums of Understandings (MoU) have been signed with several national and foreign universities, including India, Iran, Malaysia for different research program teacher-student exchange, arranging internships for young graduates, conducting research programs, organizing training-workshops for teachers and students.
In addition to this, the delegations from the Music department and the Theatre and Performance Studies department earned praise for their stunning performances in countries outside of the country. Their films have been presented at a number of international film festivals, where they have won awards.
Several initiatives have been put in place to transform the university into a research-capable institution on pace with the best institutions in the world. To that purpose, the university's administration has emphasized the importance of outcome-based education, a new dimension of higher education, in improving educational quality. The university's strong research culture encourages its students and faculty members to engage in research activities that address the country's most pressing problems.
Cultural responsibility
Since this university is named after National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, it has a responsibility in this regard. There is an institute named after Nazrul under this university. Researchers from abroad have come to the institute, and our researchers have also gone abroad to conduct research on Nazrul. The university has MoUs with several foreign universities to research on Nazrul.
Being named after the national poet, the university has a special role in promoting Bangla literature, music, and culture. It organizes cultural events, literary festivals, and music programs to celebrate and preserve the cultural heritage of Bangladesh.
In addition, the university places a strong emphasis on research and innovation. For the first time, the university hosted a research fair in this year. Two international conferences have also been conducted, with participation from national as well as international researchers. The third international conference will be held on the university campus in February 2024.
Vice-Chancellor Dr Soumitra Sekhar said: “Our progress in creating new knowledge will continue in the future. Every year, the necessary steps will be taken to organize international conferences for teachers, students, and researchers. We wish to create an environment in which knowledge can be applied and research can be conducted. We are striving to establish an environment that will serve as a model for students to emulate in the workplace; they will emanate brilliance from the campus and illuminate their professional environments.”
The role of technology
As Bangladesh moves towards becoming a developed nation by 2041, the role of technology in driving growth and development cannot be ignored. The government's vision of a Smart Bangladesh requires the development of a robust and modern technology infrastructure, and the establishment of smart campuses is a step in that direction. Smart Campuses are technology-enabled educational institutions offering innovative solutions to enhance student learning experiences.
Vice-Chancellor Dr Soumitra Sekhar said: “After my arrival, Nazrul University is moving forward with the motto of education, research, and development. We are lucky that the Hon'ble Prime Minister launched Smart Bangladesh a few days later. As a result, our smart campus' journey became one with Smart Bangladesh's. We wish to change the campus into a modern one by maximizing the usage of technology to make it smart."
This smart Campus combines academics and infrastructure. Along with the facilities, there will be natural beauty with trees, vines, and birds. There will also be assurance of road safety, something Bangladesh continues to struggle with. Students will travel on their bicycles.
The concept of the smart campus is not just about using technology for education; it is about creating a learning ecosystem that is connected, collaborative, and responsive to the needs of students. Smart campuses create immersive learning experiences to enable personalized learning, real-time feedback, and data-driven decision-making, which is essential for preparing students for the future.
The administrative authority is also considering digital filing for its smart campus. The university has begun taking fees of examinations, hall rent, and other miscellaneous fees by using the e-Sheba app for making a paperless campus. Official staff, particularly those who handle files, are undergoing training.
By adopting modern educational ideas and philosophy while following the government's pathway and direction, the university administration can develop a competent workforce that is contemporary, action-driven, and scientifically oriented.
The academic master plan will fulfill the student's academic and extra-curricular needs and help them showcase their skills in the competitive market. We hope that our campus is going smart in terms of education with the goal of developing skilled human resources while simultaneously remembering our cultural roots and doing our best to highlight and showcase the rich culture Bangladesh has had over its history.
Md Ashikur Rahman and Anupom Sarker are freelance contributors and postgraduate students in Public Administration and Governance Studies at Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University.
