PSTU VC vows to build student-friendly, research-driven campus

PATUAKHALI, Sept 19: Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU) Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr SM Hemayet Jahan has said his main goal is to build a student-centred, research-driven university by addressing irregularities and instability.  

Speaking at a view-exchange meeting with journalists at the university on Saturday, the vice-chancellor said he had taken several initiatives during his first three months in office to improve the academic environment and raise the university's international standing.

“I have tried to overcome the irregularities and the sense of unrest and inferiority that had existed among teachers, officials, employees and students for 16 years,” he said.

He said steps had been taken to encourage teachers to engage more actively in teaching and research and to expedite ongoing construction work on the campus.

PSTU currently has 10 faculties covering agriculture, fisheries, veterinary medicine, nutrition and food science, business administration, computer science and engineering, environmental science and disaster management, law and land administration, engineering and oceanography.

Jahan said initiatives had been taken to establish new departments and faculties to develop skilled human resources.

A proposal for a new Faculty of Health Sciences, comprising departments of physiotherapy and rehabilitation, physical education and sports, and nursing and health sciences, has already been approved by the university's 58th Regent Board meeting, he said.

“Once the University Grants Commission approves the proposal, we will take the necessary administrative and academic steps. We plan to admit students from the next academic year,” he said.

The VC also highlighted measures taken for students, including waiving bus fares for students who regularly travel to Barishal and Patuakhali for private tutoring and other work.

He said he had instructed the transport, finance and accounts sections to ensure transparency and was working to create a student-friendly, ragging-free campus.

Jahan also said PSTU had taken responsibility for coordinating this year's GST(General, Science & Technology)  cluster admission test, which involves the largest number of participating universities in the system, and that the examination date had already been announced.

Among other measures, he mentioned modernising the university website and introducing automation across its operations.

“My main goal is to disseminate the research findings of PSTU across the country and around the world,” he said, adding that efforts were underway to create suitable teaching and research environments in classrooms and laboratories.

The university has also established international collaborations aimed at arranging fully funded scholarships for students, he said.

PSTU is the only Bangladeshi member of the International Collaboration for Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture (ICFSA) in Malaysia, which brings together more than 20 universities from 15 countries, he said.

Jahan said PSTU had recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Universitas Negeri Padang in Indonesia and arranged fully funded scholarships through a public notice and a merit-based selection process.

He said the university was also pursuing collaboration with universities in the United States, Germany, Australia, South Korea, China and other countries.

On drugs, Jahan said the university had introduced admission through drug tests as part of its efforts to prevent substance abuse.

“We want to ensure a ragging-free residential environment and gradually resolve students' problems in the halls,” he said.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr ABM Saiful Islam, Treasurer Prof Dr Mohammad Atikur Rahman, Proctor Prof Abul Bashar Khan, Director of the Office of International Student Affairs Dr Hachib Mohammad Tushar, Chief Farm Supervisor Md Arifur Rahman, Director of the Public Relations and Publications Department Dr Rahat Mahmud, Deputy Director Md Mahfuzur Rahman Sobuj, Patuakhali Press Club President Md Zakir Hossain and journalists from different media outlets were present at the meeting.