A total of six Bangladeshi universities were featured on the list of QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024. Daffodil International University (DIU) was one of those six ranked among the top 1,000 universities in the world. In the QS World University Rankings Asia 2023, DIU ranked as one of the top 400 universities (351–400) in this region out of the 760 universities ranked. Besides, it has been ranked 78th among the universities in South Asia.
The university, established in 2002, today combines impressive modern facilities on a campus of over 30 acres of land and a dynamic approach to teaching and research with its proud heritage of service and achievement. DIU's mission is defined by its IT-based traditions of service and access.
In a recent interview, DIU Vice-Chancellor Prof M Lutfar Rahman talked with The Business Post’s Mir Mohammad Jasim about the university’s overall vision, mission and future target.
What is the vision of your university?
Our vision is excellence through up-to-date, technology-based and student-centric education of global standard, research and internationalisation.
Do you think you have reached your goal following your vision?
DIU is committed to creating responsible global citizens with knowledge, skills, aptitude and entrepreneurial mindset. To fulfil its vision, DIU has established a state-of-the-art campus in Daffodil Smart City at Dhaka’s Birulia (near Uttra). The wide campus features a peaceful, green environment, a good number of academic and administrative buildings, residential halls for male and female students, sports fields, numerous labs, a huge library, a large auditorium, a gymnasium, and many more.
The entire campus has been designed to provide students with learning opportunities wherever they are on campus. Our campus provides facilities to students with international academic standards and quality education. I feel satisfied with our goals when we see our alumni network spread all over the globe. DIU has praiseworthy achievements and we are committed to achieving more to be a top-ranking university in the world.
What are the achievements of the university till now?
DIU has achieved remarkable success on both global and national stages. Our alumni have excelled in various fields, from contributing to NASA and Google to becoming global entrepreneurs and impactful professionals. DIU is proud to be recognised as one of the top private universities in Bangladesh, ranking within the top 1000 globally in QS World University Rankings. Additionally, DIU is a leader in sustainability, ranking first among private universities in Bangladesh and achieving high positions in global sustainability rankings.
Furthermore, DIU has formed strong academic collaborations with over 500 prestigious universities and academic institutions in 70 countries around the globe, as well as 54 different international organisations. These partnerships enhance the university's global reach and provide opportunities for students and faculties to engage in research and exchange programmes.
A team of students from the Department of Software Engineering of DIU won the NASA Space Apps Challenge 2022 Global Award, outcompeting 31,000 competitors from 160 countries at the annual global competition. DIU is also a leading entrepreneurial university in Bangladesh, with departments, labs, and events dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship. Our alumni are making significant contributions in various sectors, including the BCS Cadre, the Army Peace Mission, and different industries.
In summary, DIU's achievements reflect its commitment to excellence, sustainability, research, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility, making it a leading institution in Bangladesh and beyond.
What is the speciality of your university?
The speciality of DIU is that it’s truly international quality in academic excellence, qualified academicians, blended learning and a vast green campus. DIU has been one of the top-ranked universities in Bangladesh in terms of research output and its social contributions with its vast area of scholarships, student’s engagement with social activities and commitment to contribute to society and humanity.
DIU’s green campus at Birulia has been developed to promote economic growth and improve the quality of life for its residents. The university is built on a vast area of peaceful, green land, and offers a wide range of modern amenities and services, including Daffodil School & College, a medical centre, a gymnasium, food courts, halls for female and male students, training centres, career development centres, golf court, football and cricket fields, a 7,000+ capacity auditorium, halls of residence, research labs, innovation lab, comfortable lounges, swimming pool, guest house, parking spaces, restaurants and food courts, a large transport pool, and numerous labs. Also, Bono Maya is a vast place to enjoy nature and greenery on the campus and the lake with breathing facilities. The campus is considered an ideal place to live in its community and has drawn the attention of both local and international visitors.
Is the syllabus market/industry-oriented?
DIU regularly upgrades the syllabus stressing the growing demand for local and global employment and career opportunities and industry requirements. Every student takes part in industrial/professional training before completion of degrees.
The essence of the university is academic diversity. It offers a variety of programmes under different faculties. The 30 departments under six faculties in the university offer 45 Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes in a number of subjects to meet the current demands of the competitive world.
Why the students will choose your university for admission?
DIU, since its inception in 2002, has become a beacon of excellence in higher education. Its achievements are vast and diverse, making it an attractive choice for students seeking quality education. From its state-of-the-art campus to its commitment to academic diversity and excellence, DIU offers a wide range of programmes under six faculties. The university boasts highly qualified faculty members and has received numerous awards and recognition, both nationally and internationally.
With a focus on technology-based education, DIU is equipped with modern ICT facilities, ensuring a digital learning environment. Moreover, the university provides ample opportunities for co-curricular and extracurricular activities, research, and career development, supported by strong alumni networks. From competitive tuition fees to comfortable residential accommodations, DIU strives to create a conducive learning environment for its students, making it a preferred destination for higher education.
What are the challenges of the university?
In the last two decades, DIU has significant achievements in terms of quality of education and research, expansion of modern subjects involving modern technology like fintech, big data, robotics, cyber security, entrepreneurship, IOT, real estate, use of modern technology, blended learning, etc.
At present, higher education has become very dynamic and it is urgent to expand academic and research facilities to cope with such demand. Funds are a big challenge now for establishing new facilities and upgrading old ones.
Less than 30 per cent of students are resident in the residential halls and there is a huge demand for residential facilities as the campus is situated far from the centre of Dhaka city. Again, it is expensive to build such facilities.
DIU and four other nearby university campuses need robust road connections with the nearby highway, expressway and metro rail line. At present, private universities contribute substantially to higher education and it is logical to invest public money for the sake of new areas of education, technology and research.
What is the future plan of the university?
At present, we can satisfactorily meet the requirements for quality education, research and other requirements for our students. Our research budget is the second highest among the private universities in Bangladesh. However, we are determined to improve in ranking in Bangladesh, Asia and the world. We always strive to maintain quality education in the frontier of knowledge and technology, resulting in satisfactory employment of our graduates in Bangladesh and abroad. DIU needs more research professors to improve research outputs. Also, expansion and improvements of infrastructure for increased demand for admissions is another challenge.
Less than 300 faculties, officers and staff are residential in the campus. There is a plan for phenomenal expansion in this area. We are proactive on university social responsibilities. We need expansion in quality human research and infrastructural expansion to realise the future dreams of the university.
Do you think education migration can be reduced by the existing education system at private universities?
In spite of the phenomenal expansion in higher education in the country, a large number of students pursue their education in many developed countries. This is a current trend in other low-income and less-developed countries. The trend can be reduced by improving the quality of education and research with improvement in employment opportunities for graduates.
