Dhaka, 8 October 2026: The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) of the American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB), with support from DW Akademie, Germany, organized a day-long programme titled “The Regional Cluster Meeting: Dhaka Chapter” on 8 October 2026. The programme brought together academics and senior students from 12 universities in Dhaka, including three public and nine private universities, to promote academic collaboration, strengthen research capacity, and explore opportunities for regional cooperation in journalism and communication education.

Distinguished academics and university representatives attended the inaugural session. Professor Dr Abdur Rahman, Pro-Vice Chancellor of AIUB, served as the Chief Guest. Professor AJM Shafiqul Alam Bhaiyan, Advisor to JMC, AIUB, delivered the welcome address, highlighting the importance of the gathering. Professor Dr. Jude William R. Genilo, Chair of CJEN, Bangladesh, and Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), also spoke at the inaugural session, highlighting the importance of collaboration and professional engagement in journalism and communication education. Dr. Faria Sultana, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), AIUB, also addressed the gathering. Professor Dr. Pradip Kumar Panday, Head of JMC at AIUB, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing his gratitude to the distinguished guests, participants, and DW Akademie, Germany, for their support and cooperation.

The day-long programme featured three sessions focusing on academic networking, scholarly writing, and qualitative research. The first session, “Introduction to CJEN’s Mission, Initiatives, Activities, Membership/Engagement Opportunities and Prospects for Regional Cooperation,” was conducted by Professor Dr. Jude William R. Genilo. The session introduced participants to CJEN’s mission and activities while highlighting opportunities for academic engagement, networking, and regional collaboration.

The second session, “Learning the Craft of Writing Academic Abstracts,” was conducted by Dr. Sariful Islam, Assistant Professor, JMC, AIUB. The session focused on developing effective academic abstracts and strengthening participants’ skills in presenting research ideas clearly and systematically.

The third session, “From Identifying a Research Problem to Analysing Data in Qualitative Research,” was conducted by Dr. Prodhan Mahbub Ibna Seraj, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of English at AIUB. The session provided insights into the key stages of qualitative research, from identifying a research problem to analysing data, with an emphasis on developing participants’ research competencies.

The programme provided an important platform for academics and senior students from participating universities to exchange ideas, enhance their research knowledge, and explore opportunities for future collaboration. Through this initiative, AIUB’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication reaffirmed its commitment to advancing journalism and communication education, promoting research excellence, and strengthening academic partnerships at the national and regional levels, with the support of DW Akademie, Germany.