MT Desk: The Office of International Affairs (OIA), University of Asia Pacific (UAP) organized a public lecture titled “Higher Education in Business for Next Generation: Opportunities and Challenges’’ on 21 September 2023 at the university auditorium.

The public lecture was delivered by Professor Dr. M Kabir Hassan who is a Professor of Finance at University of New Orleans, USA and an Hon’ble Member of the International Advisory Council of UAP. Professor Hassan is a very renowned financial economist with consulting, research and teaching experience in development finance, money and capital markets, Islamic finance, corporate finance, investments, monetary economics, macroeconomics and international trade and finance. He provided consulting services to the World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), African Development Bank (AfDB), USAID, Government of Bangladesh, Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC), Federal Reserve Bank, USA, and many corporations, private organizations and universities around the world. Acknowledged as “The Islamic Financial Economist,” he is the most cited researcher in the field of Islamic finance. He has authored the most number of articles in Islamic finance and he is regarded as 

At present, Dr. Hassan is holds three endowed Chairs i.e. the Hibernia Professor of Economics and Finance, Hancock Whitney Chair Professor in Business, and Bank One Professor in Business in the Department of Economics and Finance at the University of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Professor Hassan is the winner of the 2016 IDB Prize in Islamic Banking and Finance. He has also received the 2019 University of Louisiana System Outstanding Faculty Member Award, 2019 UNO Research, Creativity and Scholarly Career Award and 2018 UNO Gordon H “Nick” Mueller International Leadership Medallion.

In his speech, Professor Hassan shed light to the new age prospects and challenges of Bangladesh to excel in higher education. He also focused on the updated teaching and learning patterns available in USA in the first part of his lecture. In the second part of his lecture, he spoke on the practicality and impact of publishing research work while mentioning the usage of research-led findings and knowledge in real life. Towards the end of his lecture, Prof. Hassan encouraged students in higher studies and research while sharing the journey of his eventful life.  

The program was assembled and commenced by Ms. Ismat Zarin, Acting Director, Office of International Affairs (OIA), and Assistant Professor, Department of English, University of Asia Pacific (UAP). The session began with an introduction to the eminent speaker of the event, Professor Dr. M Kabir Hassan. The public lecture was followed by a Q & A at the end of the seminar where a number of faculty members and students asked relevant questions to the distinguished speaker at the event. Professor Dr. Qumrul Ahsan, Vice Chancellor, University of Asia Pacific (UAP) delivered the vote of thanks at the end of the event.

Prof. Dr. Mohammad Shariful Islam, Member, Board of Trustees (BOT), UAP; Prof. Dr. Md. Sultan Mahmud, Pro Vice Chancellor, UAP; Prof. Dr. Sheikh Anwar Hossain, Treasurer, UAP; Brigadier General A K M Nazrul Islam, PhD (Retd), Registrar, UAP, Prof. Dr. M.A. Baqui Khalily, Dean, School of Business, UAP; Dr. Jesmin Sultana, Head DBA; Professor Shahriyar Anam, Professor, DBA; Dr. Mahbubul Haque, Professor, DBA; Farzana Elahi, Assistant Professor, DBA; Md. Ferdaus, Assistant Director, OIA and faculty members along with a good number of students of UAP attended the public lecture. The program was organized by the Office of International Affairs with the assistance of the Department of Business Administration of UAP.