Prof. Dr. Farheen Hassan of the Faculty of Business Administration, American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB), was a featured speaker at the International Association of Universities (IAU) 2024 International Conference held from November 22-24 at Sophia University, Yutsuya, Tokyo, Japan. Along with Dr. Farheen, Prof. Dr. Manzur H Khan, Proctor, AIUB also participated in the conference.
Dr. Farheen presented "Responsible and Responsive Universities – A Case Study of AIUB" during the breakout session "Values in Action," moderated by Prof. Dr. David Lock, Secretary General of the Magna Charta Observatory (MCO). Her presentation, part of AIUB’s ongoing MCO 2022 project, addressed critical issues in Dhaka’s Korail slum, including women’s empowerment, low-cost housing, education for underprivileged children, and youth entrepreneurship.
AIUB students from various departments - such as MPH, BBA, and Architecture -actively contributed to the research through data collection and documentation. The MCO 2022 project, involving six countries - Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland, Georgia, Ireland, and Bangladesh - recognizes AIUB as the sole representative from Bangladesh. Dr. Farheen’s presentation garnered high praise and sparked engaging discussions among participants.
The session also featured Dr. Agata Strządała from Wroclaw Medical University, Poland, who presented her institution’s initiatives to support Ukrainian refugees under the MCO 2022 project.
The original Magna Charta Universitatum (MCU) was first signed by 388 universities from around the world in 1988 on the 900th anniversary of the founding of the University of Bologna. The document contained the fundamental principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy. Its purpose was to guide universities in achieving good governance and self-understanding in the future.
Due to the whirlwind changes in the education sector a revised MCU was adopted by the Governing Council of the Magna Charta Observatory (MCO) in July 2020. The new MCU is a document for the higher education sector. While preserving the essence of the original foundational document, the revised MCU strives to be responsive to and resonate with contemporary challenges and concerns. It recognizes the global nature of universities and the wider range of local responsibilities they have in serving local communities. To date, nearly 1000 universities from 94 countries have signed MCU 2020.
AIUB’s involvement highlighted its dedication to global collaboration and its mission to drive positive social change through higher education initiatives.
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