Prof. Dr.-Ing. Saifullah Khandker :
The Visions of German University Bangladesh (GUB) have expanded gradually both in Germany and Bangladesh since the last several years of its initiatives. To steer a new era in education of Bangladesh, educationists and eminent personalities of both countries have promised to set up a beyond-traditional university in Bangladesh. Considering the strong German and Bangladesh ties, the proposed university is designed with higher education concept to meet the 21st century demand.
The characteristic feature of GUB is the courage to follow new paths within research as well as education. As a result, the feature of GUB is to be number one leading universities in terms of uncovering innovative ways of cooperating with the surrounding world at a local as well as national and international level. Bangladesh is an agriculture-based country. In this context, academic syllabus has been focused on the subjects relevant to the need of Bangladesh, i.e. Environment Protection Technology, Mechatronics, Food Science and Technology, Human Nutrition, Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology, Pharmacy, Toxicology, Environmental Health Sciences including Human and Animal Health Sciences etc.
The key missions of the German University Bangladesh are to establish a new ways of academic collaboration between Bangladesh and Germany in higher education and research, engage the students in an intensive language training program in order to enable them to obtain further qualifications in universities in Germany. GUB promises to introduce and implement study programs in non-traditional academic fields in Bangladesh with special attention to the environment, engineering, food and public health and train staff to be qualified to address the challenges in these fields according to international standards. GUB also offers an appropriate grant program for supporting qualified students coming from religious minorities and low-income family as well as women missing support from other sources.
For the realization of this noble project the pioneers have already formed two organizations, one in Bangladesh under the name German University in Bangladesh Trust (GUBT) and the other is in Germany under the name Initiative Committee German University in Bangladesh e.V. (IGUB). To the GUBT belong the young energetic famous entrepreneurs of Bangladesh in different sectors. Trustee Board members Dr. med. Salamat Khandker, Dipl.-Ing. Md. Kamruzzaman studied in Germany. Prof. Mesbahuddin Ahmed visited different educational research institutions on different occasions. Syed Golam Mowla, Syed Mastafizur Rahman, Md. Ehsanul Habib, Tahsin Uddin Khan, Sur Chandra Sinha, Anowar Hossain Manik, Md. Maksud and Ahmed Arif Billah have direct personal or business contacts to Germany. German University Bangladesh is also active member of Bangladesh German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BGCCI).
Chairman of both organizations (GUB and IGUB) is Professor Dr.-Ing. Saifullah Khandker. The University would ultimately sit at a peaceful campus skirted by forest land under P.S. Ghatail, District Tangail. When fully commissioned it would be a fully residential University. Present GUB Campus is located at Gazipur. Highly experienced Members of the German body are providing relentless efforts for the University. Among those members of the IGUB Prof. Dr. Michael-Bernhard Krawinkel during his visit told the public at Tangail that you must be proud that you have in your country people like Prof. Dr. Saifullah Khandker. He further added in his speech only through proper education the poverty change can be achieved. He added “Bangladesh is a very rich country in terms of young people. To translate this richness into wealth we need to look at education rather as a public good than as something which is only accessible for the less poor groups in the society” (November 2007).
In an interview he also mentioned: “The idea is to help young Bangladeshi school graduates to find more high quality academic education and training opportunities. We are deeply convinced that it is also in the economic interest of Bangladesh´s entrepreneurs, politicians and administrators to have highly qualified engineers and experts. GUB will also offer German language courses to facilitate future exchange between Bangladesh and Germany. My personal involvement is founded in my work as a professor for international nutrition. I have been working in Sudan and Tanzania, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand before. Why not in Bangladesh? – The highest appreciation is to be given to by Prof. Saifullah Khandker who inspires the German committee. He added “high quality teacher´s training is a prerequisite for high quality school education (The News Today, March 05, 2009).
Prof. Dr. Karl-Hans Zessin hoisted the signboard of the proposed University in August 2008 (The News Today, August 2008). Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Muehlbach from Germany has visited Bangladesh on February 2009 to find out the ways and means of the University.
Nobel laureate Professor Dr. Mohammad Yunus accorded a reception by the Initiative Committee (IGUB-Germany) during his visit to Berlin, Germany (The News Today, June 23, 2007). The Nobel laureate was delighted to learn that Prof. Dr. Saifullah Khandker is enthusiastic to set up a full-fledged residential private University in the rural area of Bangladesh, to spread specialized German Model Technical Education. The move is aimed at developing highly skilled work force to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Dr. Yunus appreciated and emphasized his strong support and willingness to help address partners and institutions in Bangladesh regarding this noble project which especially aims at providing academic training to hard working students from underprivileged families.
Dr. Khandker and his German colleagues have also several meeting with the Chairman of the University Grant Commission (UGC) and concerned government departments and also got heartening response (News 2).
Professor Dr. Saifullah Khandker has sincere feeling for Bangladesh as well as for Germany and he has been observing the German efficiency and precision in all spheres of life. Keeping that in mind, he is trying to bring the German efficiency and precision to Bangladesh. The Bangladesh students will get the opportunity to study in part in German Universities and get the exposure to German work ethics, sincerity and dedication. On their graduation from German University Bangladesh, they will be the torch-bearers of the German qualities in Bangladesh.
For regulation of academic program and management of the University necessary bodies like Board of Trustee, the Syndicate, the Academic Council, Board of the Faculty Advisory Committee, Course Program Committee, Finance Committee, Recruitment Committee and Discipline Committee has been formed. In most of the Committees German experienced academicians who were involved in the initial stage would be included. GUB authority has already appointed Professor Dr. Michael H. Boehme, an experienced German Professor as Vice Chancellor.
Preparatory works as regards detail syllabus, their modules, and course and examination regulations has already been accomplished. While developing the curricula and syllabus particular attention was given to Bangladesh socioeconomic context. The course duration has been made for four years with a view to acclimatizing the students in all related discipline for the first year when some of the classes would be common to all departments. This has been done to generate confidence in the students to take up higher courses both at home and abroad especial training would be given on German language and curricula so that they can undertake further study in Germany without much trouble.
We got the approval from the Government and University Grants Commission of Bangladesh on October 2013. The University in the initial stage already submitted study programs comprising of 5 faculties and more than 20 departments. The faculties curricula has been designed in such a way that one department may utilize the research results of other departments for innovative task.
Academic activities have already been going on and mean while we have already published the admission notice.
We are in the epoch of globalization and the globalization in the sense of economy, education and other aspects. The system is changing and merging with the information superhighway. The demand of education has been changing with the aspect of global economy and adoption of new technology. Above all, the university is new and we will put effort to promote the standard of Higher Education. Our ultimate goal will be to be the best private university of Bangladesh. We are open to the parents and students those who values education and feel the urge to do well for the country. For more information regarding admission, Please visit our web page: www.gub.edu.bd
(Prof. Dr.-Ing. Saifullah Khandker is Chairman, German University Bangladesh Trust, Gazipur, Bangladesh)
The Visions of German University Bangladesh (GUB) have expanded gradually both in Germany and Bangladesh since the last several years of its initiatives. To steer a new era in education of Bangladesh, educationists and eminent personalities of both countries have promised to set up a beyond-traditional university in Bangladesh. Considering the strong German and Bangladesh ties, the proposed university is designed with higher education concept to meet the 21st century demand.
The characteristic feature of GUB is the courage to follow new paths within research as well as education. As a result, the feature of GUB is to be number one leading universities in terms of uncovering innovative ways of cooperating with the surrounding world at a local as well as national and international level. Bangladesh is an agriculture-based country. In this context, academic syllabus has been focused on the subjects relevant to the need of Bangladesh, i.e. Environment Protection Technology, Mechatronics, Food Science and Technology, Human Nutrition, Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology, Pharmacy, Toxicology, Environmental Health Sciences including Human and Animal Health Sciences etc.
The key missions of the German University Bangladesh are to establish a new ways of academic collaboration between Bangladesh and Germany in higher education and research, engage the students in an intensive language training program in order to enable them to obtain further qualifications in universities in Germany. GUB promises to introduce and implement study programs in non-traditional academic fields in Bangladesh with special attention to the environment, engineering, food and public health and train staff to be qualified to address the challenges in these fields according to international standards. GUB also offers an appropriate grant program for supporting qualified students coming from religious minorities and low-income family as well as women missing support from other sources.
For the realization of this noble project the pioneers have already formed two organizations, one in Bangladesh under the name German University in Bangladesh Trust (GUBT) and the other is in Germany under the name Initiative Committee German University in Bangladesh e.V. (IGUB). To the GUBT belong the young energetic famous entrepreneurs of Bangladesh in different sectors. Trustee Board members Dr. med. Salamat Khandker, Dipl.-Ing. Md. Kamruzzaman studied in Germany. Prof. Mesbahuddin Ahmed visited different educational research institutions on different occasions. Syed Golam Mowla, Syed Mastafizur Rahman, Md. Ehsanul Habib, Tahsin Uddin Khan, Sur Chandra Sinha, Anowar Hossain Manik, Md. Maksud and Ahmed Arif Billah have direct personal or business contacts to Germany. German University Bangladesh is also active member of Bangladesh German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BGCCI).
Chairman of both organizations (GUB and IGUB) is Professor Dr.-Ing. Saifullah Khandker. The University would ultimately sit at a peaceful campus skirted by forest land under P.S. Ghatail, District Tangail. When fully commissioned it would be a fully residential University. Present GUB Campus is located at Gazipur. Highly experienced Members of the German body are providing relentless efforts for the University. Among those members of the IGUB Prof. Dr. Michael-Bernhard Krawinkel during his visit told the public at Tangail that you must be proud that you have in your country people like Prof. Dr. Saifullah Khandker. He further added in his speech only through proper education the poverty change can be achieved. He added “Bangladesh is a very rich country in terms of young people. To translate this richness into wealth we need to look at education rather as a public good than as something which is only accessible for the less poor groups in the society” (November 2007).
In an interview he also mentioned: “The idea is to help young Bangladeshi school graduates to find more high quality academic education and training opportunities. We are deeply convinced that it is also in the economic interest of Bangladesh´s entrepreneurs, politicians and administrators to have highly qualified engineers and experts. GUB will also offer German language courses to facilitate future exchange between Bangladesh and Germany. My personal involvement is founded in my work as a professor for international nutrition. I have been working in Sudan and Tanzania, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand before. Why not in Bangladesh? – The highest appreciation is to be given to by Prof. Saifullah Khandker who inspires the German committee. He added “high quality teacher´s training is a prerequisite for high quality school education (The News Today, March 05, 2009).
Prof. Dr. Karl-Hans Zessin hoisted the signboard of the proposed University in August 2008 (The News Today, August 2008). Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Muehlbach from Germany has visited Bangladesh on February 2009 to find out the ways and means of the University.
Nobel laureate Professor Dr. Mohammad Yunus accorded a reception by the Initiative Committee (IGUB-Germany) during his visit to Berlin, Germany (The News Today, June 23, 2007). The Nobel laureate was delighted to learn that Prof. Dr. Saifullah Khandker is enthusiastic to set up a full-fledged residential private University in the rural area of Bangladesh, to spread specialized German Model Technical Education. The move is aimed at developing highly skilled work force to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Dr. Yunus appreciated and emphasized his strong support and willingness to help address partners and institutions in Bangladesh regarding this noble project which especially aims at providing academic training to hard working students from underprivileged families.
Dr. Khandker and his German colleagues have also several meeting with the Chairman of the University Grant Commission (UGC) and concerned government departments and also got heartening response (News 2).
Professor Dr. Saifullah Khandker has sincere feeling for Bangladesh as well as for Germany and he has been observing the German efficiency and precision in all spheres of life. Keeping that in mind, he is trying to bring the German efficiency and precision to Bangladesh. The Bangladesh students will get the opportunity to study in part in German Universities and get the exposure to German work ethics, sincerity and dedication. On their graduation from German University Bangladesh, they will be the torch-bearers of the German qualities in Bangladesh.
For regulation of academic program and management of the University necessary bodies like Board of Trustee, the Syndicate, the Academic Council, Board of the Faculty Advisory Committee, Course Program Committee, Finance Committee, Recruitment Committee and Discipline Committee has been formed. In most of the Committees German experienced academicians who were involved in the initial stage would be included. GUB authority has already appointed Professor Dr. Michael H. Boehme, an experienced German Professor as Vice Chancellor.
Preparatory works as regards detail syllabus, their modules, and course and examination regulations has already been accomplished. While developing the curricula and syllabus particular attention was given to Bangladesh socioeconomic context. The course duration has been made for four years with a view to acclimatizing the students in all related discipline for the first year when some of the classes would be common to all departments. This has been done to generate confidence in the students to take up higher courses both at home and abroad especial training would be given on German language and curricula so that they can undertake further study in Germany without much trouble.
We got the approval from the Government and University Grants Commission of Bangladesh on October 2013. The University in the initial stage already submitted study programs comprising of 5 faculties and more than 20 departments. The faculties curricula has been designed in such a way that one department may utilize the research results of other departments for innovative task.
Academic activities have already been going on and mean while we have already published the admission notice.
We are in the epoch of globalization and the globalization in the sense of economy, education and other aspects. The system is changing and merging with the information superhighway. The demand of education has been changing with the aspect of global economy and adoption of new technology. Above all, the university is new and we will put effort to promote the standard of Higher Education. Our ultimate goal will be to be the best private university of Bangladesh. We are open to the parents and students those who values education and feel the urge to do well for the country. For more information regarding admission, Please visit our web page: www.gub.edu.bd
(Prof. Dr.-Ing. Saifullah Khandker is Chairman, German University Bangladesh Trust, Gazipur, Bangladesh)
