City Desk :
North South University (NSU) and the Japanese engineering firm Nippon Koei Co. Ltd. (NK) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today, marking a significant milestone in their ongoing research collaboration. Under the agreement, NK will fund three research projects to be led by NSU faculty members, namely Professor Dr. Javed Bari, Dr. Minhaz Shahriar, and Dr. Lamia Iftekhar.
On behalf of NSU, Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury signed the MoU, while Nippon Koei was represented in the MoU by Mr. Akira Kawai, Managing Director of Nippon Koei Bangladesh Ltd. (NKB); Mr. Haruhiko Kanai, Representative Director and President of NK; and Mr. Hiroyuki Yamate, General Manager of Transportation Operations at NK.
The signing ceremony was attended by Mr. Naoki Kudo, Chairman of NKB and Director of NK responsible for the South Asia region; Mr. Akira Kawai, Managing Director of NKB; Mr. Tusuf Omar and Mr. Abed Ali, both Deputy General Managers at NKB; and Mr. M.M.A. Kader, Manager of NKB.
Mr. Kazuhiro Ueno, Acting General Manager of NK’s Transportation and Urban Division, joined the event virtually from Japan. From NSU, attendees included Professor Dr. Md. Shazzad Hosain, Dean of the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences; Dr. S M Ashfaqul Hoq, Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; the NSU Office of External Affairs team led by Director Dr. Cynthia McKinney and supported by Dr. Hasanuzzaman; representatives from the Office of Research; the three lead researchers of NSU; and officials from the Public Relations Office.
It is worth noting that NSU and NKB first formalized their partnership in January 2020 through a general MoU. Since then, NSU has worked closely with NKB, NK’s Research and Development Department, and the NK headquarters in Japan to develop and pursue a range of collaborative research initiatives. Speaking at the ceremony, the NSU VC Professor Chowdhury expressed optimism that this renewed partnership would pave the way for deeper academic and research ties between Bangladesh and Japan. He also highlighted the long-standing friendship between the two countries. Mr. Naoki Kudo remarked that the five-year collaboration between NSU and NK has been highly productive, and Mr. Kazuhiro Ueno expressed hope that the newly signed MoU would elevate the partnership to new heights.
In addition to the MoU with Nippon Koei, NSU signed three other important MoUs aimed at enhancing collaboration in key social and technological sectors. An MoU was signed with Shikkha Shastha Unnayan Karzakram (SHISUK), a respected local NGO focused on education and public health initiatives. Another agreement was signed with Agromukam, a digital platform that supports Agri-Ecommerce by connecting farmers with market opportunities, products, and services using innovative technologies. The third partnership was formed with Rayhans Clinic and Cancer Center Ltd., an academic and clinical research institute dedicated to integrated healthcare, education, and cancer research. The heads of these respective organizations were present at the ceremony, reflecting the mutual commitment to collaborative impact and sustainable development.
