Feature

PVAMU: Exploring possibilities

Sabrina F Ahmad

Prairie View A&M University(PVAMU), which was founded in 1876, is the second oldest public institution of higher learning in the state of Texas. The university offers baccalaureate degrees in 50 academic majors, 37 master's degrees and four doctoral degree programs through nine colleges and schools, and is a member of the Texas A&M University System.

How is any of this relevant to the readers of Star Campus? Last week, Dr George C Wright, President of PVAMU, and Dr Munir Quddus, Dean, College of Business, PVAMU, visited Dhaka to touch base with some of the private universities here. The purpose of the visit? To explore opportunities for collaboration between PVAMU and local universities, such as study trips, student exchanges, internships and more, particularly in the fields of business, agriculture, and nursing. Diversity is important to PVAMU. It was first established as a state-supported institution for higher studies for African Americans during the Reconstruction Period, following the American Civil War. In the 130 years that followed, it built for itself a reputation for being instrumental in helping students of diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds to realize their full potential, and assisting small and medium-sized communities and businesses in their growth and development. Today, enrollment at PVAMU exceeds 8,000 including more than 2,000 graduate students. Students come from throughout the United States and abroad.

Dr Wright stressed on his university's emphasis on diversity. On a personal note, he added that, because his background is in history, he is interested in the history of cultures and people different from his own. He hopes that, should collaboration between PVAMU and the local universities here be established, it would help students and teachers of both countries broaden their horizons through direct exposure to foreign cultures.

Why Bangladeshi universities, was a question easily answered. Dr Munir Quddus is originally from Bangladesh to start with, and as a Fulbright Scholar he helped Mr. Muslehuddin Ahmad establish North South University (NSU), and briefly served as its chief academic officer.

Interestingly though, NSU wasn't on the itinerary this time, as there hadn't been time to establish contact between the two universities. Dr Wright and Dr Quddus visited Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), Brac University, and United International University (UIU), and having met the respective VC's and faculty members, they professed themselves impressed by what they've seen so far.

The next step, then, is to communicate further with these universities and establish an MOU with at least one of them. Concerns include funding the exchanges, at least from the perspective of the local universities, as well as achieving the correct balance, whereby the number of students/faculty visiting Bangladesh equals the number visiting the US and vice-versa. As a proper collaboration would benefit all parties involved, here's wishing them success in their venture.