BRAC University

Brac University, (Bengali: ব্র্যাক বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, also known as BracU) is a private research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in 2001 as a branch of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed's BRAC under the Private University Act 1992.[2]

BRAC University
ব্র্যাক বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়
Seal of BRAC University
BRAC University Mohakhali
MottoInspiring Excellence[1]
TypePrivate, Research
Established2001 (2001)
FounderFazle Hasan Abed
Accreditation
AffiliationUniversity Grants Commission (UGC)
ChancellorPresident of Bangladesh
Academic staff
649
Students11200
Undergraduates10029
Postgraduates1171
Address
66, Mohakhali
,
Dhaka
,
1212
,
Bangladesh

23.7802°N 90.4072°E / 23.7802; 90.4072
CampusUrban
LanguageEnglish
Colours   
Blue, Black, Gray
NicknameBracU
Websitewww.bracu.ac.bd

History

Sir Fazle Hasan Abed founded BRAC University in 2001, under the Private University Act.[3] Located at 66 Mohakhali, Dhaka, the university is based on the American liberal arts college model. The university began with just three departments and around 80 students in 2001.[4][5] It held its first Convocation in January 2006. As the university grew, it increased the number of programs and introduced master's degrees.[6] The development of a library with high academic standards was important to Sir Abed. The Ayesha Abed Library was digitized shortly after its inception.[7] The university had 11,200 students in 20 schools, departments, and institutes in 2020.

Campus

Residential Campus

The Residential Campus in Savar was founded in 2003 and substantially expanded in 2012.[8] Students spend a semester on the Residential Campus, where they take specific courses and fulfill community tasks during the week. Residential Semester is mandatory for every students. On Friday and Saturday, they visit orphanages, nursing homes, and landmark sites. In Bangladesh, many students stay with their parents during their university years.

Resources and facilities
  • Ayesha Abed Library[9]
  • Counseling Unit at RS[10]
  • Courseware Moodle
  • Fabrication Lab[11]* GDLN Centre
  • MSDN Academic Allience

Underconstruction city campus

BRAC University is building a sustainable green campus in Merul Badda, Dhaka, a campus designed by WOHA Designs Pte Ltd., an architectural firm based in Singapore.[12] Construction of this facility began in 2017. The university building will have 13 floors and a total area of 157,935 sq. meters. The facilities include an auditorium with 700 seats, a multipurpose hall with 1850 seats, classrooms, labs, design studios, lecture theaters, an IT data center, UPS, CCTVs, a cafeteria, an e-library, a parking lot, recreation facilities, and a rooftop playground.[13] The new campus is 2017 LafargeHolcim Asia Pacific- Bronze Winner awarded by LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction. The floating campus will open soon.[14]

BRAC University has also planned a medical school in Dhaka Village. This separate campus will occupy 56 acres.

Organization and administration

Leadership and management

The current structure was established in 2011.[15] The President of Bangladesh is BRAC University's Chancellor. The board of trustees is the highest policy-making body of BRAC University.[16] It has 12 members, one of them being the Vice-Chancellor. Chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, the Syndicate supervises the academic and administrative functions of the university.[16] The Academic Council, also chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, makes education policy recommendations and reviews curricula and academic progress.[16]

Administration

The university administration is led by the Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar, and the Heads of academic units.[17]

Vice Chancellors
Year of Joining Expiration of Tenure of Office Name
2001 2010 Jamilur Reza Choudhury
2010 2014 Ainun Nishat
2014 2018 Syed Saad Andaleeb
2019 2023[18] Vincent Chang

Academics

Diverse academic units serve the mission of BRAC University. Departments have degree-granting programs, schools support strategic initiatives, institutes are autonomous research entities, and centers are project-based entities.

Schools and institutes
University founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed delivering speech at the 11th Convocation
  • Brac Business School
  • School of Data and Sciences
  • BSRM School of Engineering
  • School of Law
  • School of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • School of General Education
  • School of Pharmacy
  • James P. Grant School of Public Health
  • School of Architecture and Design
  • Brac Institute of Languages
  • Brac Institute of Educational Development
  • Brac Institute of Governance and Development
BRAC University 11th Convocation

Departments
  • Department of Architecture
  • Department of Computer Science and Engineering
  • Department of Computer Science
  • Department of Economics and Social Sciences (School of Humanities and Social Sciences)
  • Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Department of Electrical and Communication Engineering
  • Department of English and Humanities (School of Humanities and Social Sciences)
  • Department of Anthropology
  • Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
  • Department of Pharmacy
  • Department of Bachelor of Business Administration

Centres
  • Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research
  • Centre for Emotional Intelligence and Innovation
  • Centre for Entrepreneurship Development
  • Centre for Inclusive Architecture and Urbanism
  • Centre for Peace and Justice
  • Professional Development Centre
  • Centre for Mathematical Sciences
  • Centre for Life Sciences

Financial aid

BRAC University was founded to support financially disadvantaged students. One of the early donors was the BRAC Ford scholarship program. The university has developed several scholarship programs for national and international students. The Open Society Foundation and the Open Society University Network have supported student activities and education.

Student life

The Office of Student Life (OSL) was created in 2019. OSL supervises the Department of Career Services, Alumni Affairs, and Clubs & Societies.

Most of the private university students of Bangladesh lives with their parents for all 4 years. So is the case with BRAC University except that the university has a mandatory residential semester at their savar residential campus.

Notable Alumni

References
  1. "Message from the Vice Chancellor". Brac University.
  2. "Message from the Founder and Chairperson Emeritus". Archived from the original on 12 December 2019.
  3. "Südasien-Institut. Universität Heidelberg".
  4. "Brac University Annual Report 2009" (PDF).
  5. BRAC (1998). Brac University Project Proposal and Application, Submitted to: Education Ministry and University Grants Commission. p. 8.
  6. BRAC (1998). Brac University Project Proposal and Application, Submitted to: Education Ministry and University Grants Commission. p. 10.
  7. BRAC (1998). Brac University Project Proposal and Application, Submitted to: Education Ministry and University Grants Commission. pp. 9, 10.
  8. "Residential Campus".
  9. "Welcome to BRACU Ayesha Abed Library | BRACU Ayesha Abed Library". library.bracu.ac.bd. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  10. "Counseling Service at Residential Semester of BRACU". Dhaka Tribune. 5 April 2017. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  11. "Fabrication laboratory opens at BRACU". The Independent. Dhaka. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  12. "VIDEO-BRACU NEW CAMPUS - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  13. "New Campus".
  14. "Floating University in Bangladesh". www.holcimfoundation.org. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  15. "Annual Report 2011" (PDF).
  16. "Organization and Administration". Brac University.
  17. "Administration".
  18. Desk, SHOUT (25 January 2023). "BRACU VC bids farewell as tenure ends". The Daily Star. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to BRAC University.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.