Higher education partnerships for societal impact
(Daffodil International University)
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Daffodil International University (DIU) is one of the largest private university in Bangladesh. Currently, more than 25000 students are pursuing higher education at DIU where more than 550 are came from different countries of the world. DIU has active partnerships with more than 240 universities around the world. The partnerships bring the opportunities for Exchange Program, Scholarship, Summer School, Joint Research, Joint Project and many more events for the scholars of DIU. Mentioned programs and projects are creating positive impact towards the society. Enhanced impacts could be demonstrated as follows.
1. Exchange Programs:(Currently, DIU have more than 30 exchange program in Asia, Europe even in North America)
1.1. InboundIn 2017 we have received 45 students from China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, UK, Sri Lanka and Nepal under the exchange program. Ms. Chio Wen is one of them. She came from Ling Tung University, Taiwan as UG student. Before coming to Bangladesh she was very poor in English. After doing one semester at DIU she improved her English proficiency a lot because the medium of instruction of DIU is English and she managed many good friends where she had to communicate with them through English. After passing one semester now she is doing another semester here. Apart from studying she is teaching the Chinese language at the campus.
1.2. OutboundIn 2017 we have sent 250 students from Bangladesh to UK, USA, India, Turkey, China, Sri Lanka, North Korea, Thailand, Philippine, and Indonesia. Mr. Faisal Bin Abul Kasem is one of them. He completed a semester in Karabuk University, Turkey. Returning from Turkey he is working as a teaching assistant. He mentioned that the exchange program improved his interpersonal and communication skill which are helping him a lot in the teaching profession. In addition, he has made some close friends in Turkey. Among them, some are joining his marriage ceremony in Bangladesh.
Last year a group of 06 students from the Department of Nutrition & Food Engineering has done 4-month long Internship in Kasetsart University, Thailand. As a result, all of them are now working for many reputed food processing companies in Bangladesh with high salary.
2. Scholarship Program:Each year hundreds of students of DIU are receiving several scholarships around the world where most of them are female. DIU is an active member of many academic forums like ERASMUS +, Mevlana, KGSP, CCI etc. Scholars are achieving scholarship opportunities through this kind of International Forum. For example, Susmita Saha, Graduated in Computer Science and engineering from Daffodil International University, 2017. She is an Erasmus Mundus scholarship holder selected in 2016 for two semesters on Lodz University of Technology. Susmita was an active anchor and engaged in various extracurricular and leadership activities in DIU. These helped her to enrich own skills and to utilize further. During her scholarship period, she managed to get an internship at Fujitsu technologies and now successfully working as an IT Consultant.
Nasrin Tumpa has completed her one semester in Scotland through ERASMUS + scholarship. Now she is teaching at the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, DIU.
Mr. Bhaskar Sarkar is a student of Computer Science & Engineering at Daffodil International University. He participated in the Social Business Creation Competition 2016 organized by HEC Montreal, Canada. Mr. Sarkar along with his team won the position of Runner-up and received prizes worth CAD 19,500. Later on, he received Community College Initiative (CCI) scholarship from the U.S. Dept. of State and currently studying Entrepreneurship in the USA for a year. He said that the experience and knowledge gained from the competition enhanced and proven his interest in Entrepreneurship which also paved the way for receiving the prestigious CCI scholarship. He added that after returning to Bangladesh he will use his enhanced skill sets and experiences achieved from the CCI to engage in creating sustainable solutions for the betterment of the community using the power of both business and technology.
3. Community Development: Kalinga Institute of Social Science- KISS a home of 26 thousand underprivileged children in India aims at empowering the tribal community through education. Under the mutual partnership between KISS & DIU an Institute named Daffodil Institute of Social Science –DISS is being launched in Bangladesh. It a replicated project of KISS. Last year the partnership allowed 25 DIU academicians and 18 students for study and short visits purpose at KIIT University & KISS so that they could get hands on experience about the community changing project.
For example, Monira Akter Laboni is a final year student, doing her BSC in CSE in DIU. In 2016, she had participated in SIAS Winter Camp in China where she has learned the Chinese language and Chinese Culture. She also had participated in the International Volunteer Exchange Program (IVEP) 2017 in India where she unleashed her volunteerism by working with the unprivileged tribal students. These kinds of international cultural exchange programs and volunteering programs helped her to improve the leadership skills, communicational skills, and interpersonal skills. Besides her education, she is now working as a mathematics instructor at 10 Minute School which is the largest educational platform in Bangladesh.
4. Youth Empowerment: DIU students are joining youth leadership Development training, Internship, volunteer exchange Program, Summer Program so on that is empowering youth so that they could make contributions toward society by enhancing cross-cultural knowledge. For example last year a group of 06 students from the Department of Nutrition & Food Engineering has done with 4-month long Internship in Thailand. As a result, all of them are now working in many reputed food processing companies in Bangladesh with high salary.
Shamsun Nahar Leepi is a final year student of Computer Science and Engineering student. She enriched her Leadership and interpersonal skills and also strengthened her network by participating in various national and international competitions, volunteering and organizing events. Recently she has visited Singapore to join the regional finalist in 9th Annual HULT Prize 2018 that is the biggest social venture competition for students. The real-life experience gained from the program motivated her to work in the field of International Affairs. The program make her realized that most of the students around the world even don’t know about Bangladesh. If she engaged herself in the field of International Affairs she will have chance to promote her country so that many students will visit Bangladesh and of course it will be a great contribution in the field of economic development of Bangladesh. Returning from Singapore she is currently working at the Office of International Affairs, DIU as a student associate.
5. Conclusion: No doubt Higher education partnerships have been bringing huge opportunities for the scholars of educational institution. In this way scholars are getting chance to cross the border to enrich their cross cultural knowledge. Being aware of cross cultural differences can provide better employment opportunities for example after returning from Bangladesh Somali & Nigerian students are getting governmental job in home country. Enhanced diversified knowledge can contribute in the development of the society of home country and the same time host county would have the change to adopt new diversified knowledge from exchanged students.
