BRAC University

Brac University (Bengali: ব্র্যাক বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, also known as BracU) is a private research university in Bangladesh.

BRAC University
ব্র্যাক বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়
Seal of BRAC University
MottoInspiring Excellence
TypePrivate, research university
Established2001 (2001)
AffiliationUGC
IEB
ChancellorPresident of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid
Vice-ChancellorVincent Chang
Academic staff
649
Students11200
Undergraduates10029
Postgraduates1171
Location
Dhaka
,
1212
,
Bangladesh

23.7802°N 90.4072°E / 23.7802; 90.4072
CampusUrban
LanguageEnglish
Colours    Blue Black Grey
NicknameBRACUIAN
SportsFootball and Cricket
Websitewww.bracu.ac.bd

According to the QS Asia Rankings, The university was ranked as the #1 Private University in Bangladesh for two consecutive years in 2018 and 2019.[1]

History

Brac University was founded in 2001 by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed under the Private University Act.[2] It held its first Convocation in January 2006.

The university is based on the American model with undergraduate degrees of 4-year duration. Initially, it offered a limited number of bachelor's degrees.[3] As the university grew and institutional capacity was built, it expanded the variety of programs and introduced master's degrees.[4] Brac University started with 3 departments and around 80 students in 2001.[5] It has expanded to 11,200 students studying at 20 schools, departments and institutes in 2020.

The development of a library with high academic standard was a key focus of Sir Abed. When Brac University was founded in 2001, every other university library in Bangladesh lacked a sufficient number of books as well as resources to develop libraries further. The Ayesha Abed Library was digitized shortly after its inception.[6]

Brac University is located at 66 Mohakhali Commercial Area in buildings owned by BRAC. Land for a new permanent campus was acquired during the last years. The construction is currently ongoing and will be finished in 2021.

Campus

Residential

The Residential Campus in Savar was founded in 2003 and substantially expanded in 2012.

The Residential Campus is an integral part of Brac University.[7] Each student will spend one semester in Savar on the Residential Campus, taking specific academic courses as well as executing community tasks. On the weekends, the students visit orphanages, homes for the elderly and surrounding signature sites. Traditionally, in Bangladesh, students do not leave their family homes during their university years. This program is the only one in Bangladesh that gives them the opportunity to live in an independent setting for the first time.

Resources and facilities
  • Ayesha Abed Library[8]
  • Fabrication Lab[9]
  • Counseling Unit at RS[10]
  • GDLN Centre
  • Courseware Moodle
  • MSDN Academic Allience

New

Brac University is currently building a new campus. It will be located at KHA 224, Progati Sarani, Merul Badda, Dhaka 1212. WOHA Designs Pte Ltd., an architectural firm based in Singapore, has designed this project.[11] On 26 October 2019 the founder of Brac University, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, laid the foundation stone.

The land for the new campus encompasses 5 acres in its entirety. The university building will have an area of 1,700,000 square feet, 13 floors and 3 basements. There will be an auditorium with 700 seats, a multipurpose hall with 1850 seats, classrooms, labs, design studios, lecture theatres, data centre for IT related use, UPS, CCTVs, solar panels, a cafeteria, an e-library, recreation facilities, a parking lot, rooftop playground, park, and a lake.[12]

Brac University is planning to build a medical school. It will be located on a separate new campus in Dhaka Village, Village-Mohuri, Upazila-Rupganj, District-Narayanganj. The land will span across 140 Bigha, circa 56 acres.

Organization and administration

Leadership and management
Vice-Chancellor Vincent Chang and students

The Leadership, as it exists in 2020, has been recognized in 2011.[13]

Brac University's Chancellor is the President of Bangladesh. The Board of Trustees is the highest policy making body of Brac University.[14] It consists of 12 members, one of them is the Vice-Chancellor ex-officio.

The syndicate serves as the executive authority responsible for the supervision and management of academic and administrative functions and the general management of the University.[14] Three of the nine voting roles on the Syndicate are reserved for the Vice-Chancellor and his/ her leadership team.

The Academic Council, chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, recommends curricula and is responsible for a range of matters related to the academic progress of students.[14]

Administration

The university administration is led by the Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar, the Controller of Examinations and the Heads of the various academic and administrative units.[15]

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 Present Vincent Chang

Academics

Brac University consists of different academic units. Departments with faculty are sufficient for rolling out academic programs. Schools serve the purpose of supporting strategic initiatives at a more abstract level. The institutes are entities of Brac University, but they work independently. The centers have each their own projects, which they conduct within the university realms.

Schools and institutes
University founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed delivering speech at the 11th Convocation

Brac Business School

School of Data and Sciences

School of Engineering

School of Architecture and Design

School of General Education

School of Law

Graduate School of Management

School of Life Sciences

School of General Education

James P. Grant School of Public Health

Brac Institute of Governance and Development

Brac Institute of Educational Development

BRAC University 11th Convocation

Brac Institute of Languages

Departments

Department of Architecture

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Department of Economics and Social Sciences

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Department of English and Humanities

Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Department of Pharmacy

Department of BBA

Centres

Centre for Peace and Justice

Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research

Centre for Entrepreneurship Development

Professional Development Centre

Centre for Inclusive Architecture and Urbanism

Centre for Emotional Intelligence and Innovation

Financial aid

Brac University was founded with the intention to support financially disadvantaged students. The university has different scholarship programs and forms of financial aid for national and international students. One of the early donors was the BRAC Ford scholarship program. During the last years the university has been supported by the Open Society Foundations.

Student life

Brac University's Office of Student Life (OSL) was conceptualised in 2019, after Vice-Chancellor Vincent Chang joined, with the overall objective of improving the student experience. It was launched in November 2019. The primary departments under OSL are the Department of Career Services, Alumni Affairs, and Clubs & Societies.

References
  1. "QS University Rankings: Asia 2018". Top Universities. 1 February 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  2. "Südasien-Institut. Universität Heidelberg".
  3. BRAC (1998). Brac University Project Proposal and Application, Submitted to: Education Ministry and University Grants Commission. p. 8.
  4. BRAC (1998). Brac University Project Proposal and Application, Submitted to: Education Ministry and University Grants Commission. p. 10.
  5. "Brac University Annual Report 2009" (PDF).
  6. BRAC (1998). Brac University Project Proposal and Application, Submitted to: Education Ministry and University Grants Commission. pp. 9, 10.
  7. "Residential Campus".
  8. "Welcome to BRACU Ayesha Abed Library | BRACU Ayesha Abed Library". library.bracu.ac.bd. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  9. "Fabrication laboratory opens at BRACU". Fabrication laboratory opens at BRACU | theindependentbd.com. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  10. "Counseling Service at Residential Semester of BRACU | Dhaka Tribune". web.archive.org. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  11. "VIDEO-BRACU NEW CAMPUS - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  12. "New Campus".
  13. "Annual Report 2011" (PDF).
  14. "Organization and Administration". Brac University.
  15. "Administration".
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