President Mohammed Shahabuddin has reappointed Professor Atiqul Islam as the vice-chancellor (VC) of North South University (NSU).
The official notification was issued on Sunday by the Department of Secondary and Higher Education of the Ministry of Education, according to a press release.
Prof Atiqul will continue to serve as the VC until February 22, 2028. He previously assumed the role of VC in 2016 and was reappointed in February 2020.
He extended his thanks to the president, prime minister, minister of education, the University Grants Commission (UGC), and North South University Board of Trustees.
While thanking the president, Prof Atiqul remarked that he was deeply humbled by the trust bestowed upon him by the president, who is also the chancellor.
He further acknowledged the enduring support and guidance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “I am sincerely grateful to the prime minister. Her unwavering support for North South University always inspired us to work to achieve excellence for this institution. Our faculty members, students, and NSU family are grateful for her compassionate guidance.”
Prof Atiqul further said, “Personally, I am thankful to our prime minister for trusting me with the leadership of NSU.”
He also thanked Education Minister Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel and expressed gratitude to the UGC and the NSU Board of Trustees. In his message to the faculty, students, and administrative staff, Prof Atiqul thanked them for their past support and urged them to continue their assistance in the future.
In a message, NSU Board of Trustees Chairman Javed Muneer Ahmad congratulated Prof Atiqul on his reappointment.
Under the leadership of Prof Atiqul, NSU has achieved consistent academic excellence. As a result, in the latest World University Ranking 2023 by Times Higher Education, NSU ranked between 601 and 800, the highest among all universities in Bangladesh.
Prof Atiqul is a highly esteemed academic with a distinguished career spanning over three decades across the Asia-Pacific region.
Prior to his tenure at NSU, he served in various leadership positions, including executive dean and VC (engagement) of the Faculty of Business and Law at Edith Cowan University in Australia.
With roots as a lecturer at Dhaka University, Prof Atiqul’s journey includes notable roles at institutions such as the University of Sydney, Curtin University, Canterbury University, and the National University of Singapore.
Throughout his career, he held significant administrative roles, including head of the School of Commerce at the University of South Australia and dean of the Faculty of Business and Government at the University of Canberra.
Prof Atiqul’s contributions extend beyond administrative roles. He has authored and co-authored numerous scholarly articles, served as an editor for a prestigious business journal, reviewed research funding proposals and journals, supervised postgraduate theses, and presented at international research conferences.
