The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of American International University–Bangladesh successfully hosted the International Conference on Challenges and Trends in Arts and Social Sciences (ICCTASS 2025) on December 11–12. With the theme “Sustainability, Creativity and Ethics: Insights into Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Practices,” the two-day event brought together scholars, researchers, and practitioners from across the globe to engage in meaningful academic dialogue bridging theory, practice, and innovation.

The conference was inaugurated in the presence of distinguished dignitaries. The opening ceremony was graced by Her Excellency Nina P. Cainglet, Philippine Ambassador to Bangladesh, as the Chief Guest. Dr. Carmen Z. Lamagna, Member of the AIUB Board of Trustees, attended the event as Conference Patron. Prof. Dr. Saiful Islam, Vice Chancellor of AIUB, was also present, along with the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Abdur Rahman. The event was also enlightened by the presence of Prof. Dr. Tazul Islam, General Chair of ICCTASS 2025 and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The conference was inaugurated by the opening remarks by Prof. Dr. Md. Asif Kamal, Organizing Chair of ICCTASS 2025 and Professor of English at AIUB. On the second day, the academic sessions were formally inaugurated by H. E. Mr. Ganbold Dambajav, Ambassador of Mongolia to Bangladesh.

ICCTASS 2025 attracted 500 submissions, 280 registered papers, and around 600 participations from 16 countries—including Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Kingdom of Bahrain, Libya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, the UK, and the US. The conference featured six academic tracks: Economics, English, Law, Media and Mass Communication, Public Health, and Social Sciences, highlighting innovative ideas, ethical approaches, and sustainable practices.

Five eminent keynote speakers enriched the conference, included - Lilian W. Mina, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Prof. Dr. Zhen (Peter) Ye, Xiamen University & Bartlett, UCL; Taberez Ahmed Neyazi, National University of Singapore; Prof. Dr. Hayward Derrick Horton, University at Albany, SUNY; Prof. Dr. Shaila Sultana, BRAC Institute of Languages & University of Dhaka.

Plenary panel discussions featured leading academics and professionals from Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, and beyond, including Prof. Mashrur Shahid Hossain (Jahangirnagar University), Prof. Dr. Saiful Alam Chowdhury (University of Dhaka), Dr. Priyadarshini Muthukrishnan (INTI International University, Malaysia), and Mr. Gawher Nayeem Wahra, journalist and educator.

The closing session of ICCTASS 2025 was marked by an inspiring speech delivered by the Chief Guest Ms. Nadia Anwar, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, AIUB. Her remarks emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the role of arts and social sciences in shaping sustainable and ethical futures.

The ceremony also featured the award distribution, celebrating excellence in both oral and poster presentations across all conference tracks. Among the oral presentation highlights were: Unveiling the Drivers of NPLs by Bithe Rani Aich, Muhammad Tanveer Islam, and Sanjay Bhattacharjee in Economics; Negotiating Multilingual Identities by Tarannum Fatema Chowdhury and team in English (Language); The Gaze and the Real: Lacanian Desire and Identity in Faria Basher’s “An Eye and a Leg” by M. Ashiqur Rahaman Sourav,  Md. Sifat Ahammed (Literature); Adverse Effects of Environmental Disasters in Bangladesh by Rafi Ahmed in Law; An Appraisal of Anemia Cut-Offs in Bangladeshi Women by Sabuktagin Rahman and colleagues in Public Health; and Teachers’ Pedagogical Approaches and Their Impact by Marzia Rahman and Md. Muhaiminul Islam Niloy in Social Sciences.

Recognition was also given to outstanding poster presentations. First place went to Track 5 (Public Health) for Factors affecting health seeking behavior: a cross-sectional study in Khulna by Nehela Nazmul of Khulna University. Second place was awarded to Track 4 (Media and Mass Communication) for Predicting Sustainable Media Innovation Adoption: Multi-Model Analysis of AI Diffusion in Emerging Markets by Sumit Paul, Mesbah Uddin Bhuiyan, Khothik Chandra Bhowmick, Md. Murad Hasan, and Md. Mortuza Ahmmed of American International University–Bangladesh. Third place also went to Track 5 (Public Health) for Mental Health Matters: A Survey-Based Study on University Students’ Experiences, Challenges and Policy Implications by Hasan Shahriar Samiul, Md. Alfaz Uddin, Kazi Fardin Rahman Riyad, and Md. Shafayat Hossain Shamim of American International University–Bangladesh.

The program concluded with a heartfelt Vote of Thanks delivered by Dr. Faria Sultana, Organizing Secretary of ICCTASS 2025 and Associate Professor in the Department of Economics. She expressed deep gratitude to all participants, distinguished guests, and organizers for their invaluable contributions, noting that their collective efforts ensured the success of the conference and strengthened AIUB’s role as a hub for global academic exchange.

The conference was co-organized with Universitas Teuku Umar (Indonesia), Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (Malaysia), and INTI International University (Malaysia), with publication support from Atlantis Press (Springer Nature). Special thanks were extended to the American Center for their support.

ICCTASS 2025 reaffirmed AIUB’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary scholarship and global collaboration. The conference underscored the vital role of the arts and social sciences in addressing complex societal challenges and guiding responsible, future-oriented action. Organizers expressed gratitude to all presenters, participants, reviewers, distinguished guests, and volunteers for making the event a resounding success