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IDEA trains in Bangladesh!

The Centre for Debate and Public Communication (CDPC), Bangladesh aims at providing capacity building support to educational institutions and clubs on debate and public communication, namely training for public speaking and debate related activities, advocacy and public colloquium. CDPC's primary target groups include young debaters, trainers and adjudicators. It will also take up programmes for teachers and those who are interested in cross-community dialogue initiatives related to debate and democracy. Recently, it has conducted a 6-week long workshop in Dhaka for participants from different colleges and universities on English Debate for the Beginners.

CDPC, Bangladesh in collaboration with IDEA also organized a debate and public speaking workshop from 2-5 June 2008 in Dhaka. Marcin Zaleski, Head of Training, IDEA and Mr. Shameem Reza, Director, CDPC and Assistant Professor, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, University of Dhaka conducted the workshop. Professor Dr. S M A Faiz, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka inaugurated the workshop. The opening event took place at Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate House on Monday, 2 June at 10:30 am. Students from a number of schools, colleges and universities took part in different interactive sessions. The workshop was aimed at orienting students with the art of public speaking and techniques of debate.

After the workshop, participants were expected to come across the concepts and use of public speech, argumentation and critical reasoning, and different formats of debates being used in international debating meets.

NSU Faculty chairs seminar on UWB in Malaysia

Mahdin Mahboob

Future generation communication system will require high mobility, flexibility and very high data-rate. In this context, broadband wireless digital communications will become prevalent. As the capacity of the channel is directly related to its bandwidth, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technologies are advantageous for use in a number of wireless communications applications, especially in short range high data rate networking. Impulse radio, a form of UWB spread-spectrum signaling, has properties that make it a viable candidate for short-range communications in dense multi-path environments.

Keeping this in mind, a seminar titled 'Ultrawideband- A Booming Arena for Communication' was recently held in UKM (National University Malaysia), Malaysia to provide an overview of UWB communication as well as to provide information about recent and promising new schemes in this field. Dr. Mohammad A Matin, Associate Professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering of North South University was the chair of this seminar. Dr Matin has over 20 refereed journals and conference papers to his name and has received various international scholarships and awards in his academic life. His current research interests are in various aspects of digital communication.

EDU Reflection-Summer '08

The “EDU Reflection-Summer '08,” was held on Tuesday, 27 May 2008 at East Delta University (EDU), Agrabad, Chittagong. It was a daylong interaction program among students of various educational institutions of Chittagong, their guardians, different college principals/heads, EDU's well-wishers and faculties

The program was a step towards a series of seminars and workshops that EDU has undertaken in recent times. EDU believes that a solid tripartite bonding among the students, their parents, and the faculties is a precondition to shaping younger generations to be responsible citizens of this nation.

A. Qaiyum Chowdhury, Associate Professor, EDU, coordinated the program, held in two sessions. EDU's Student Services and Corporate Relations Division organized the event. The welcome note in the first session was delivered by EDU's Vice Chancellor (Designate) Professor Dr. Syed Giasuddin Ahmed. EDU's adjunct faculty and Professor of North South University Dr. Sk. Tawfiq Hoque, Administrative Director of William Carey Academy (WCA) Mrs. Marilou Long, and WCA faculty Mrs. Walters took part in the discussion as Guests of Honor. First part of the program ended with a very lively brainstorming session in which WCA's graduating students participated.

The second session of the program was presided over by EDU's VC Professor Dr. Syed Giasuddin Ahmed. Begum Safia Rahman, Principal of Sunshine Grammar School and College; Prof. Hashfia Bashirullah, Principal of Government College of Commerce; and Patrick D' Rozario CSC, Reverend Bishop of Chittagong, took part in the discussion as Guests of Honor. Shakir Khan, Head of Business Studies of Chittagong Grammar School and College; Ahmed Zibran, Relationship Manager of Eastern Bank Limited; Wasika Khan, Manager of Priority Banking of Standard Chartered Bank; and EDU's adjunct faculties Prof. Dr. Masud Mahmood, Prof. Dr. Shahadat Hossain, and Prof. Dr. Ganesh Chandra Roy of Chittagong University; EDU's Directors Sayeed-Al-Noman and Sazia Abdullah also participated in the interactive discussion.

A. Qaiyum Chowdhury, Faculty, School of Business, EDU.

NSU holds Summer 2008 Orientation of Life Sciences Dept.

The Summer 2008 Orientation Ceremony of Masters in Public Health, MS in Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, BS in Microbiology and BS in Biochemistry & Genetic Engineering Programs of the Life Sciences Department of NSU was held on May 30, 2008 at NSU campus. Mr. M. A. Kashem, Chairman, Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh and Founder Life Member and Former Chairman, NSU Foundation, was present as chief guest. Dr. Hafiz G. A. Siddiqi, Vice Chancellor of NSU and Dr. Nizam Uddin Ahmed, Director HIV/AIDS Program & Advisor, South Asia Program, Save the Children, USA spoke on the occasion as special guests. Mrs. Tahera Ahmed, Assistant Representative, UNFPA was present as guest of honor. Dr. SAM Khairul Bashar, Pro Vice Chancellor chaired the occasion. Dr. G.U. Ahsan, Chairman, Department of Life Sciences, delivered the welcome address. Registrar Mr. Mohammad Ali, Dr. Khairul Azam, Ms. Rifat Mohsin, Ms. Farzana Bashar and Ms. Mahmuda Reza also spoke on the occasion.

Website for Former Students of Notre Dame College

Jobayer Ahmed

Some former students of Dhaka Notre Dame College have made a forum site for ex-Notredamians, where ex-students of Notre Dame College can meet, discuss, share, download and chat. The name of the site is:
www.ex-notredame.com

Seminar on Robotics at UIU

A seminar on Formation of IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Chapter in Bangladesh was held at United International University (UIU) campus on 24th May 2008. The seminar was arranged by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering of UIU.

Dr. Nazmul H Siddique, Professor, Ulster University in United Kingdom was the keynote speaker of the seminar. Dr. Al-Amin Bhuiyan, Professor department of Computer Science and Engineering at Jahangirnagar University, Firoz Ahmed, lecturer, IIUC and three students of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology Md. Miftah Uddin, Md. Al. Imran, Abdullah Al Mahood displayed Robots and its functions developed by them. Pro-Vice Chancellor of UIU Prof. Dr. Chowdhury Mofizur Rahman was in the chair while Dr. Hasan Sarwar, Head, Department of CSE, UIU was the moderator.

Afterwards, Dr. Nazmul Siddique, Professor, Department of Computing and Engineering, Ulster University in UK showed some of his research works on Bio-Inspired Robotics. He presented his whole work in a simple and interesting way. He explained how simple ideas of Biology can help humans to build intelligent systems. He also showed the multimedia video pictures of the Robot built by him moving and reacting in different environments.

ULAB Career Vision Orientation Held

The University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) in collaboration with Jobs-ICT held a 'Career Vision Orientation' and ' Motivational Session' in its own Dhanmondi campus on 31st May, to train and prepare its Summer '08 students for the present competitive job market.

ULAB VC Prof. Rafiqul Islam gave the welcome speech in the orientation program. Mr. Saidul Hasan Khan, Head of HR, Sygenta Bangladesh Ltd., was the special guest in the program. Tatiana Pavlovsky, an industrial psychologist, later conducted the Motivational Session in which students awere given hand-on training and tips on facing an interview, writing a winning CV, setting career goals and developing skills for a cherished profession. Around 170 students participated in the session. ULAB faculty members were present at that time.

15 Years of DU Linguistics

The Department of Linguistics, University of Dhaka has celebrated 15 years of its inception through a day-long program on 2nd June at the Teachers Students Centre (TSC) Auditorium. The event included three parts, namely the opening ceremony, a seminar and a cultural function in the afternoon. Honourable Vice-chancellor of Dhaka University Dr S M A Fayez inaugurated the event while Dr A F M Yusuf Haider was the special guest in the program.

CU excels in AUDC 2008

Tabassum Mokhduma

An English debate team representing the University of Chittagong participated at the 4th Asian Universities Debating Championship (AUDC) 2008, Asia's largest and most prestigious debate competition, held at International Islamic University of Malaysia, Gombak Campus, Kuala Lumpur from 14th to 22nd of May 2008. This was the first ever international appearance of any debate team from this university.

The team comprised Mr. A. N. Md. Bahauddin (Yarid) and Mr. Md. Rafiul Munir of Department of Finance and Banking and Mr. Mostofa-Al-Mamun of Department of Marketing Studies and International Marketing as debaters and Mr. Fuad Hasan, Assistant Professor, Department of Marketing Studies and International Marketing was the adjudicator. A total of 82 teams took part in this largest debate tournament of Asia. Of them, 24 teams including CU team got through to the 'breaking' rounds'. CU team is the first ever Bangladeshi debate team to 'break' at this competition. However, CU ended its journey at the semi-final round of the tournament as the last surviving team from Bangladesh. This is also the best ever performance by a Bangladeshi debate team in the splendid history of this event. They lost their semi-final debate of the "English as a Foreign Language" (EFL) category championship to University Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta of Indonesia.

The AUDC allows the participating teams to become divided at their will for the 'breaking' rounds to fight for two different championships - Main and EFL championships. CU opted for the later category. In line to the team's achievement, CU debater Mr. A. N. Md. Bahauddin (Yarid) also broke in the public speaking round. EXIM Bank incurred all the expenses of the CU debate team required to take part in this tournament.

Nanyang Technology University of Singapore won the title of the tournament for this year defeating Ateneo De Manila University of Philippines, the champion of all the three previous occasions.

International Workshop held at Northern University Bangladesh

Md. Abu Sadat

International workshop on “How to Deliver Quality Lecture” was held at BCSIR(Bangladesh Council of Scientific & Industrial Research) Auditorium organized by Northern University Bangladesh.

Prof. James Ronnie Davies Department of Economics and Finance University of New Orleans, U.S.A & Visiting Prof. Northern University Bangladesh was present as the Speaker of the Workshop. Prof. Dr. M. Shamsul Haque , Vice-Chencellor of Northern university Bangladesh was chaired of the Workshop While Syed Sultana Razia, Associate Prof. Department of Chemical Engineering, BUET. Md. Lutfor Rahman , Director, Human Resources Division of Northern University Bangladesh, were present as the special guest on the occasion.

Prof. James Ronnie Davies said that, every Teacher should used Modern and Scientific method & technique in teaching learning situation in classroom. He also stressed that for sustainable learning mi-cro connection or individual connection with each and every one in class room is essential.

Prof. Dr. M. Shamsul Haque also said that, Northern University Bangladesh all time try to provide quality education and try to insure quality teaching efficiency for teacher and student.