DU Correspondent 

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. ABM Obaidul Islam has returned home following an official visit to Japan and South Korea aimed at expanding academic cooperation, research partnerships, and higher education entrepreneurship ecosystems.

During the Japan visit, Dhaka University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kagawa University to expand academic cooperation. The two institutions have launched a 5-year joint research initiative, "The Project for the Development of a Flood Early Warning System for Haors" (July 2026 – June 2031), implemented under the SATREPS program and co-funded by JICA and JST. The project aims to build an effective flood forecasting framework for Bangladesh's haor region, protecting agricultural resources—particularly Boro rice cultivation—and safeguarding local livelihoods.

Prof Dr. ABM Obaidul Islam held bilateral meetings with leadership at Kagawa University and Ehime University to discuss joint research, faculty exchanges, and institutional capacity building. Key discussions included upgrading the existing agreement between DU's Faculty of Biology and Ehime University's Center for Marine Environmental Studies into a university-level partnership, establishing an Ehime University Satellite Office and an International Collaborative Research Laboratory (ICRL) at DU, and implementing faculty cross-appointments. Permission has already been granted for Professor Dr. Anwar Hossain to join Ehime University on a one-year cross-appointment.

In addition, the Vice-Chancellor formally invited Professor Dr. Atsushi Tsunam, President of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, to serve as the convocation speaker for Dhaka University's 54th Convocation. He also met with Professor Takeuchi Kazuhiko, President of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), to discuss future research collaboration.

The Vice-Chancellor subsequently led a 39-member Bangladeshi delegation representing 14 institutions—including six government ministries, the University Grants Commission (UGC), and seven public universities—to South Korea under the KOICA-funded CREATIVE Bangladesh project. The visit included a Management-Level Invitational Training Program (Oct 25 – Nov 1) and an Instructor-Level Invitational Training Program (Oct 25 – Nov 8) focused on South Korea’s startup support standards, university-industry collaboration, and entrepreneurship development policies.