WHY STUDY AT UU?

Academic Scenario

'Excellence in Higher Education and Research' is the slogan and motto of Uttara University. The university is committed to the creation of a knowledge-based society. Since its inception, the university has been working relentlessly toward the achievement of this goal, through academic pursuits, research opportunities and international collaborations.

At present, Uttara University is residing in its permanent campus in Uttara housing 5 Schools, 14 Departments and 40+ Programs. These programs include a diverse array of courses starting from Humanities to Science, Engineering, Business, etcetera. To keep up with the demands of a rapidly evolving and highly competitive job market, the university also offers job-oriented and professional programs. Uttara University is the only university in Bangladesh where the MPEd program is being run with the help of foreign experts, and is the only one of its kind in Bangladesh.

Uttara University recruits adjunct and full-time faculty members who possess degrees from both domestic and international institutions in order to guarantee quality education. Its faculty members possess extensive experience and academic qualifications. The instructors implement a diverse array of interactive teaching methods, including quizzes, formal lectures, tutorials, role-playing exercises, and group study approaches. In addition, multimedia aides, audio-visual systems, and projectors are frequently employed in the classroom. Industrial visits, seminars, symposiums, international conferences, and workshops are frequently organised to enhance the learning environment. In addition, the university has implemented the following measures to guarantee the quality of its education

Classrooms

All classrooms are equipped with high-resolution multimedia projectors and are fully air-conditioned. Classrooms at the permanent campus have been built to capacitate not more than 40 students for effective communication, along with a hygienic environment, that we believe, is conducive to interactive teaching and learning.

IT Labs

At Uttara University, there are a total of 56 specialized laboratories. Ten of these are computer laboratories available to students, free of cost and are equipped with state-of-the-art PCs, high-speed broadband, and an optical fibre network. These laboratories are accessible to both students and teachers. The campus is also equipped with Wireless internet facilities, giving students easy access to the world wide web.

Computer Science & Engineering (CSE), Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), Civil and Environmental Engineering, Textile Engineering, and Fashion Design and Technology (FDT) each have 13, 13, 12, and 6 laboratories respectively. Additionally, The FDT department is equipped with two pattern and cutting rooms, two sewing labs, a fashion and illustration room, and a textile and computer lab; while the Textile department has its very own textile laboratory furnished with all kinds of paraphernalia- including yarn, fabric, spinning, and wet processing equipment.

Digital System Lab

Practical classes for engineering and IT courses are conducted in four digital systems laboratories that are well-equipped with a variety of hardware equipment. Students can experience the digital electronic lessons in a practical setting as the laboratories are equipped with all the necessary modern components.

Library

Uttara University is currently utilising the KOHA Library Management System. The central library, which is located on the university's permanent campus, is home to over 30,000 volumes, that are kept diligently in a temperature and humidity-monitored environment, for the best possible preservation of our paper-based archive. It is stocked with an extensive selection of books and journals that cover a variety of subjects, including Economics, Literature and Language, Social Science, Religious Studies, Business, Health Education, and Law. The university library provides students with convenient access to a sufficient selection of periodicals and reference materials. Students are permitted to obtain books for personal use for a period of one to two weeks and also access premium online subscriptions through OpenAthens.

Institute of Policy Research (IPR)

IPR is an autonomous research entity funded by Uttara University. The Chief Advisor of the Institute is Prof. Dr. M. Azizur Rahman, PhD (Vanderbilt University), while Prof. Dr. Debi Narayan Rudra Paul served as the Founder Director. IPR's expertise lies in the development of research strategies, policies, and programmes, as well as the evaluation and execution of initiatives in the areas of Economics, Education, Energy, Environment, Health, Social Policy, and Technology Transfer.

Center for Research for Training (CRT)

The establishment of CRT was authorised by the Uttara University syndicate on August 26, 2017. Its objective is to advance and disseminate research findings in subjects that are presently in force and those that may be instituted in the future by promoting research of the highest quality in all branches of knowledge. CRT is currently coordinating research programmes for monitoring and evaluation and is also conducting workshops, symposiums, conferences, and seminars at both national and international levels. The centre is overseen by its Director, Professor Dr. Md. Mijanur Rahman (Dean, School of Science & Engineering, UU) who is assisted by other personnel to ensure its effective operation.

The Institutional Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC)

An essential initial step in the development of a university's internal quality assurance system is the establishment of IQAC. On June 14, 2015, Uttara University was granted an initiative to establish the Institutional Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC). This award is a quality enhancement initiative in higher education that the Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) of the University Grants Commission (UGC) has undertaken, with funding from the World Bank and HEQEP. The IQAC of Uttara University is responsible for the facilitation of Self-Assessment in order to guarantee quality education at all levels of the university. The activities of nine departments (Business Administration, Education, Physical Education, English, Mathematics, Bangla, CSE, Islamic Studies, and Law) are overseen by Professor Dr. A S M Shahabuddin, Dean, School of Business, UU and current Director of IQAC. Since the 2015-16 academic year, the IQAC has organized numerous training sessions for faculty members on various topics including Teaching-Learning, Curriculum Development, Research Methodology, Report Writing, University Teachers' Roles and Responsibilities, Ethical Principles, Pedagogy, and Meta-cognitive Tools and Techniques. Additionally, workshops have been conducted on team building, Lesson Planning and Curriculum Development, Enhancing Quality Physical Education, Research Methodology Skill Development, Good Governance, Office Management, and disseminating survey results. Efforts have also been made to foster a quality culture at Uttara University, complete External Peer Reviews of Self-Assessment Reports, and establish Alumni Associations for the Departments of Business Administration, Education, Physical Education, and English.

Research and Publications

Uttara University is dedicated to promoting high-quality research among its faculty members. To support this initiative, the university allocates a portion of its funds to faculty research. Faculty members from various schools have published numerous research articles in both international and national journals. The schools also publish their own academic journals regularly. For instance, "The Business Review" from the School of Business (ISSN 1996-3637) has been published consistently since 2009. The Law Department publishes the Uttara University Law Journal (ISSN 2311-9241), and the Journal of Applied Sciences and Engineering (ISSN 2309-0294) is currently in the pipeline for publication. Additionally, Uttara University faculty members frequently present their research articles at national and international conferences.

All departments at Uttara University are actively involved in research work. Notably, Prof. Dr. M. Azizur Rahman, the Founder Vice-Chancellor of Uttara University, and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Eaysmin Ara Lekha have published several books that have received national and international acclaim. Furthermore, faculty members from various schools have published a significant number of books.

Student Graduated

To date, 31,507 students have graduated from various schools of Uttara University. The university has awarded Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees to these students across eight different convocations. The first convocation took place in 2009, followed by subsequent convocations in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2023.

Co-Curricular Activities

Uttara University is committed to the holistic development of its students alongside their education. To support this comprehensive growth, the university has established twelve different clubs: the Club for Performing Arts, Heritage Club, Film and Photography Club, Reading Club, Sports Club, Wanderlust Club, Career and Higher Education Club, Political Science and International Relations Club, Social Service Club, Blood Donors Club, Happiness and Wellbeing Club, and Debate Club. These clubs are fully operational and engage in various activities such as cricket tournaments, national football events, national debating championships, cultural programs, and business plan competitions. Students have actively and successfully participated in these events.

To foster the moral development of students, the university also supports the YES group, guided by Transparency International Bangladesh. These activities include the formation of departmental alumni associations, organizing games and sports, cultural programs, debate competitions, and olympiads. The establishment of departmental clubs, such as the sports club, cultural club, debating club, and blood donors club, are also a part of the welfare activities.

Tuition Waiver

In addition to the facilities mentioned above, Uttara University offers tuition fee waivers and scholarships to brilliant and meritorious students who are financially disadvantaged. Siblings and spouses of students also receive fee waivers. Tribal students, disabled students, autistic students, and students from families of Freedom Fighters benefit greatly from studying at Uttara University.

Achievements

In May of 2024, from a list of over 300 publications, Uttara University awarded its top 50 researchers with the highest impact factor from its academic community. The awardees were commemorated through an extravagant ceremony, organized by the Centre for Research and Training (CRT). UU’s contribution to research and indexed publication saw a 300% increment in research output in international journals and considerable improvement in its Web of Science and SCOPUS citation index, compared to 2022. The researchers received recognition through certification and awards.

Soon after, in June 2024, Uttara University received global recognition by making it onto the WURI Top 300 Innovative Universities 2024 Ranking. UU has been ranked 12th in the world in Student Support and Engagement category; 17th in the Support for Global Resilience category; 22nd in the Infrastructure and Technology category in the WURI ranking among the top 100 universities in the world.