BRAC University

BRAC University (BRACU) is a private University in Bangladesh. It was founded as a branch of the BRAC organization by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed in 2001 under the Private University Act.[3]

BRAC University
ব্র্যাক বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়
Seal of BRAC University
Other name
BRACU
MottoInspiring Excellence
TypePrivate
Established2001 (2001)
ChancellorPresident Abdul Hamid
Vice-ChancellorVincent Chang[1]
Academic staff
593[2] (2019)
Students9839[2] (2019)
Undergraduates8764[2] (2019)
Postgraduates1075[2] (2019)
Location,
Bangladesh

23.7802°N 90.4072°E / 23.7802; 90.4072
CampusUrban
Colours             Blue Black Grey
NicknameBRACUIAN
AffiliationsUniversity Grants Commission Bangladesh
Websitebracu.ac.bd

History

Fazle Hasan Abed, a Bangladeshi social worker is the founder of BRAC University.[4]

Campus

The campus of BRACU is located at Mohakhali, Dhaka. BRAC University New Campus is located in the centre of communication at KHA 224, Progati Sarani, Merul Badda, Dhaka 1212. It is close to Hatirjhil, Rampura, Aftabnagar, Banasree, Niketon, Mohakhali, Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara Residential Areas. Total land area of the project is 5 acres and building will have a total of 17,00,000 square feet. It is a 13-storey building with 3 basements.

It has facilities to accommodate around 12,000-15,000 students. It is a green conceptual building where natural light and air can easily flow into the building. Almost 50% of the land is used for building and the rest for water body, lake, plantation and other purposes aimed at providing biodiversity. The advanced, eco-friendly and attractive campus will enhance the University spirit, thereby creating a healthy and positive environment for the students. WOHA, Singapore based world-renowned architectural firm has designed this project. The university is supposed to shift to its permanent campus by August 2021.[5] The mission of BRAC University is to foster the national development process through the creation of a center of excellence in higher education that is responsive to society's needs, and able to develop creative leaders. It actively contributes to learning and the creation of knowledge.

Academic features

BRACU 11th Convocation
Norwegian Folk Dance at BRACU

Schools

  • BRAC Business School (BBS)
  • James P Grant School of Public Health (JPGSPH)
  • School of Architecture and Design (SoAD)
  • School of Engineering and Computer Science (SECS)
  • School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS)
  • School of Law

Institutes

  • BRAC Institute of Governance And Development
  • BRAC Institute of Languages
  • BRAC Institute of Educational Development
  • BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health

Centres

  • Centre for Peace and Justice
  • Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research
  • Centre for Entrepreneurship Development
  • Control and Applications Research Centre
  • Professional Development Centre
  • Centre for Emotional Intelligence & Innovation

Departments

  • Department of Architecture
  • Department of Economics and Social Sciences (SHSS)
  • Department of English and Humanities (SHSS)
  • Department Mathematics and Natural Sciences
  • Department of Pharmacy
  • Department of Electrical and electronic engineering
  • Department of Computer science and engineering[6]

Resources and facilities

  • Ayesha Abed Library[7]
  • GDLN Center[8]
  • Counselling Unit[9]
  • Writing Center[10]
  • Cafeteria
  • Clubs

Tuition and Fees

Tuition Fee per Credit Tk. 6,600 (General) and B.Arch Studio Fee per Credit Tk. 7,200 [11]

Financial support

BRAC University provides financial support to the students starting from full funding to partial tuition waivers.[12]

Scholarships

  • Performance Based Scholarships
  • Merit Based Scholarships
  • Free Scholarships

Financial waiver

  • Siblings
  • BRAC Scholarship
  • Need based Scholarship
  • Physically Challenged Students
  • BRACU Employee Child Scholarship
  • Children of Freedom Fighters
  • Spouse, Father - Son/Daughter, Mother - Son/Daughter
  • Children of BRAC Employees
  • Debater's Blue

Vice-chancellors

University founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, delivering speech at the 11th Convocation.
Year of JoiningExpiration of Tenure of OfficeName
20012010Jamilur Reza Choudhury
20102014Ainun Nishat
20142018Syed Saad Andaleeb
2019PresentVincent Chang

Residential campus

BRAC University's residential semester is mandatory for every undergraduate students to attend and usually the duration is around 3 months. The residential semester is situated in Savar, Dhaka District. A number of separate dormitories for male and female students, teacher's quarter, computer lab, class rooms, seminar hall Sulla, common places, four dining (Tripti, Sugondha, Tushti, Shurovi & Kosturi), library, medical center and psychological consultation center exist in the campus.[13]

Convocations

BRACU celebrated its first convocation on 28 January 2006.

BRAC University Convocation
No.YearConvocational SpeakerAcquaintance
1st Convocation28 January 2006Allan RosenfieldDean Mailman, School of Public Health, Columbia University, USA[14]
2nd Convocation8 February 2007Professor Gowher RizviDirector, Ash Institute Kennedy School of Government Harvard University[15]
3rd Convocation30 December 2008Professor Rehman SobhanChairman, Centre for Policy Dialogue[16]
4th Convocation5 February 2009Rajat GuptaMcKinsey & Company, Inc. United States[17]
5th Convocation7 February 2010Professor Martha ChenHarvard Kennedy School[18]
6th Convocation7 February 2011Mary RobinsonFormer President of Ireland[19]
7th Convocation19 February 2012Muhammad Habibur RahmanJustice, Supreme Court of Bangladesh[20]
8th Convocation17 February 2013Rahul BosePhilanthropist and Bollywood Actor[21]
9th Convocation20 November 2014Professor Emeritus AnisuzzamanUniversity of Dhaka[22]
10th Convocation5 November 2015Matiur RahmanDaily Prothom Alo[23][24]
11th Convocation5 December 2016Shabana AzmiPhilanthropist and Bollywood Actress[25][26]
12th Convocation13 December 2017Dr. Shahidul Alam, MDActivist and Social Reformer[27]
13th Convocation23 November 2019Ban Ki-moonFormer United Nations Secretary-General[28][29]

Launching of nano-satellite BRAC Onnesha

Initial steps

On 15 June 2016, Syed Saad Andaleeb, Vice Chancellor at BRAC University, signed a contract with the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech), Japan, on behalf of BRAC University. This led to the collaborative building of the first experimental university-made nano-satellite of Bangladesh, designed, developed and assembled by three students from the EEE Department of BRAC University. On 8 February 2017, Andaleeb received BRAC Onnesha from Kyutech's President Yuji Oie and Mengu Cho, Kyutech's Director of the Laboratory of Spacecraft Environment Interaction Engineering.[30]

BRAC Onnesha

BRAC Onnesha is a nano-satellite shaped as a 10 centimetres (3.9 in) cube capable of completing one orbit 400 kilometres (250 mi) above the ground in 90 minutes and passing over Bangladesh four to six times a day.[31] BRACU took up an initiative to start space and remote sensing research in collaboration with Kyutech and the Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO).[32] BRACU built a ground station at its Mohakhali campus to analyze data and photographs sent from space for further research purposes.

Ground station inauguration

The ground station built for BRAC Onnesha was set up on the rooftop of the university's Building #4. Fazle Hasan Abed, Chairperson for the BRACU Board of Trustees, inaugurated the ground station on 25 May 2017.[33] The ground station is capable of receiving topographical data gathered by BRAC Onnesha when deployed into low Earth orbit. The BRACU researchers will analyse and interpret data, taken in the form of high quality photographs, on space environment, which is expected to serve the academic and research goals of the university and the nation as a whole.

Launch to space

BRAC Onnesha was launched on 3 June 2017 at 21:07 UTC (4 June at 03:07 BST) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the CRS-11 mission to the International Space Station. The launch took place from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.[34]

Research and innovations

BRACU Chondrobot-2

BRAC University had sent a robot named Chondrobot-2 to NASA for competing NASA Lunabotics Mining Competition in May 2012. "ChondroBot-2" a robotics team from the School of Engineering and Computer Science of BRAC University received the Asia's Best title in the recently held NASA's third "Annual Lunabotics Mining Competition (LMC)" in USA.[35]

Chondrobot-2 team from Brac University was the only university from Bangladesh which was successful to collect samples by their lunar excavation device in mining stage and also discharge those in the designated place. The team also received best position in "Joe Kosmo Award of Excellence" segment which eventually helped Chondrobot -2 to secure 12th among all the teams around the world. Mobile Phone operator Robi Axiata Limited was the co-sponsor of Chondrobot lunar excavation device of this tour to NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA.[36]

BRACU Duburi

BRACU Duburi is the first autonomous underwater vehicle to have participated in an international competition abroad. It is a wireless robot which performs anonymously under the water and is capable of sending signals underwater. By using image processing and reversed engineered sensors it stabilizes itself underwater. Duburi secured 7th position in the Singapore Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Competition (SAUVC) 2018.[37]

Solar ambulance for rural areas

The Control & Applications Research Centre (CARC) of BRACU has redesigned and developed an ambulance van with required modifications based on valuable feedbacks obtained from drivers, patients and BRAC Health Nutrition and Population Program (HNPP) personnel during the field test conducted at Genda, Savar. The upgraded and modified version of the electrically assisted ambulance van has thicker and smaller wheels to ensure the vehicle can be driven smoothly on all types of road conditions, stronger chassis for better stability, two motors and increased battery power to increase the speed and mileage.[38]

On 26 May 2016, the modified ambulance van was delivered to the CARC research facility located at Genda, Savar to conduct the performance test of this vehicle on the roads. The field test has been conducted and the performance of this vehicle has improved remarkably. Patients were carried from their houses to nearby hospitals using this modified ambulance vans. Local people and patients expressed their gratitude and satisfaction with this innovation and they felt that this vehicle can provide better health services to rural people in rural community.[39]

Hult Prize at BRAC University

BRAC University's Synergy Global team won the regional round of the HULT Prize in Shanghai, China held on 12 March 2016.[40] The team competed against other teams of 40 countries and is the first ever team from other Bangladeshi universities to win the regional round and placed among top 6 in the finals.[41]

References

  1. "Prof Vincent Chang joins BRAC University as vice-chancellor". bdnews24.com (Press release). Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  2. "2016 Annual Report". University Grants Commission of Bangladesh. p. 160. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  3. "Private University Act, 1992". Südasien-Institut. Universität Heidelberg.
  4. শুভ জন্মদিন স্যার ফজলে হাসান আবেদ [Happy Birthday Sir Fazle Hasan Abed]. Samakal (in Bengali). 27 April 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  5. "BRAC University: "BRAC University New City Campus"". BRAC University.
  6. "BRAC University (academics)". BRAC University.
  7. "BRAC University (Ayesha Abed Library)". BRAC University.
  8. "BRAC University (GDLN Centre)". BRAC University.
  9. "Counseling Service at Residential Semester of BRACU". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  10. "BRAC University". BRAC University. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  11. "BRAC University". BRAC University.
  12. বেসরকারি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, বৃত্তি নিয়ে পড়ালেখা [Study with scholarship]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 15 January 2007. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  13. "Residential Campus". BRAC University.
  14. "1st Convocation BRAC University". BRAC University.
  15. "2nd Convocation BRAC University". BRAC University.
  16. "3rd Convocation BRAC University". BRAC University.
  17. "4th Convocation BRAC University". BRAC University.
  18. "5th Convocation BRAC University". BRAC University.
  19. "6th Convocation BRAC University". BRAC University.
  20. "7th Convocation BRAC University". BRAC University.
  21. "8th Convocation BRAC University". BRAC University.
  22. "9th Convocation BRAC University". BRAC University. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  23. "10th Convocation BRAC University". BRAC University. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  24. ব্র্যাক বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের সমাবর্তন আজ [The convocation of BRAC University today]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 5 November 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  25. "11th Convocation BRAC University". BRAC University. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  26. ব্র্যাক বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের জমকালো সমাবর্তন [The brilliant convocation of BRAC University]. Bangladesh Pratadin (in Bengali). 6 December 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  27. "12th Convocation BRAC University". BRAC University. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  28. "Ban Ki-moon gives his first overseas commencement speech at Brac University". BRAC University. 25 November 2019.
  29. "Brac University Convocation Speech by Ban Ki-Moon". BRAC University. 23 November 2019.
  30. "Brac University says 'hi' to first nano-satellite". The Daily Star. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  31. "First nanosatellite ready for launch". The Daily Star. 9 February 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  32. "Bangladeshi nano satellite to be in orbit mid 2017". New Age. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  33. "Ground station ready to receive data from country's first nano-satellite". The Independent. 26 May 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  34. "BRAC Onnesha launches into space". Daily Sun. 5 June 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  35. "Made for the moon". Dhaka Tribune. 15 March 2015. Archived from the original on 26 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  36. "ChondroBot". The Daily Star. 17 May 2012.
  37. "Singapore AUV Challenge". SAUVC 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  38. "Improvised, new look 3-wheelers in the making The environment-friendly, cost-effective vehicles show promising future". The Daily Star. 21 October 2016.
  39. Mushfique Wadud (14 February 2017). "Cheap solar ambulances to speed into service in rural Bangladesh". Reuters.
  40. "Brac University students win big in Shanghai". New Age. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  41. "BRACU team set for Shanghai regional round of Hult Prize 2017". Dhaka Tribune.

41. https://selectuni.com/private-uni/6/BRAC-University

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