H.E. Askar Mussinov, Assistant Secretary General (S&T), was also present in the meeting, among others.
The VC took the opportunity to congratulate face to face H.E. the Secretary General on his assumption of the high office and on being the Chancellor of IUT. Prof. Islam thanked H.E. Taha for sparing his invaluable time by allowing him to meet His Excellency despite his hectic schedule which amply demonstrates the keen interest that the Secretary General has in the affairs of the University.
Prof. Islam apprised the Secretary General of the programmes and activities of the University. He particularly mentioned the efforts made in the recent past to strengthen the process of internationalization of the University and towards this end, a good number of scholarships have been offered to the eligible candidates from different member states of the OIC.
In this connection, the Secretary General of the OIC and the Chancellor of the University stressed the need for admitting more students from different regions of the OIC to bring in more diversity in the composition of the student population and turn it into an international University in the true sense of the term.
The VC also said that as part of the University’s increased involvement with the seats of higher learning in the African continent, IUT is in the process of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) and Islamic University in Niger (IUN).
The Chancellor urged upon the VC to reinforce IUT’s programme to educate and train the youths of the Ummah especially in the fields of engineering and technology as well as technical and vocational education with an emphasis on facilitating the transfer of technical know-how and skill to the African region of the OIC.
The VC informed the Chancellor that IUT has got a place in the range of 401-450 in the QS Asia University Rankings 2022, taking a combined 6th place in Bangladesh. The University has managed to secure a coordinate in the world map for the first time.
While inviting the Secretary General to visit the campus of the University, the VC said that the next convocation is scheduled for May 2022 subject to the pandemic situation where the Secretary General will be invited to preside over the ceremony. The Secretary General expressed his interest to visit the campus at a convenient time.
The Secretary General advised the VC to use the General Secretariat’s channels of disseminating information regarding admission and vacant key positions of the University and to raise its visibility apart from its own network of communications with the member states.
In course of the discussion, the Vice Chancellor said that efforts are underway - slowly but steadily - to transform the IUT from a teaching university to a research one.
The Vice Chancellor recalled with gratitude the advice and support that he has been receiving from H.E. Askar Mussinov, Assistant Secretary General (S&T), in running the University in the right direction.
H.E. Hissein Brahim Taha assured the Vice Chancellor of his full cooperation and support so that the University can scale further heights in the days ahead.
It may be noted that the Vice Chancellor is in Jeddah in connection with the sessions of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs (ICECS), Permanent Finance Committee (PFC), and Senior Officials Meeting (SOM).
