Message of the Chairman, Board of Trustees

With a humble beginning in 2002 and a mere 27 students, Southeast University (SEU) has become one of the most successful universities in the country, having the highest number of student enrolment, permanent campus coupled with state-of-the-art facility and above all, a centre of transcendence.

In many ways, SEU has been distinct from day one, facilitating the scope of higher education for emerging middle class, while continually thrusting for improvement and focusing on the future with a philanthropic fortitude.

For more than a decade, SEU has been the destination of talented academicians, scholars and students, having the impetus to teach, perform, create, learn and study. Amidst an astonishing diversity of programs, exploration of innovative ideas, pursuance of new knowledge and art, our classrooms are filled with vibrancy that comes from being an academy committed to research, discovery, creativity and dynamic intellectual exchange.

We take pride to be an educational institution which nurtures individual excellence and community well-being.

Mr. Md. Rezaul Karim
Chairman, Board of Trustees
Southeast University Trust

From the Desk of Vice Chancellor

Greetings from Southeast University!

Southeast University is one of the fastest growing private universities in Bangladesh. With more than 12,000 students and 250 full-time faculty members, our university is now poised to achieving excellence in teaching, research and administration. Currently there are 95 private universities in the country. Why should students and guardians choose Southeast University while there are so many other universities offering the same degree programs?

Private universities started their journey in Bangladesh in 1993 after the promulgation of the Private University Act 1992. Southeast University (SEU) was established in 2002. When this university started operating, 20 private universities were already established in the country over a span of 10 years. So, the common question was “What difference would Southeast University make as the 21st private university?” While celebrating its 15th anniversary as a great university in 2017, it is only natural for the institution to take stock of itself, counting blessings, embarking on rigorous self-examination and thereby learn from its past.

The journey of SEU in 2002 did not start in a bed of roses; it was rather a thorny travel, full of challenges. The twenty universities that were already operating at that time had substantive first-mover advantages. SEU, being a second generation private university, had to find a niche market to thrive and grow. The founders of the university had to overcome some initial turmoil. They coped with the crisis successfully. Under an astute and farsighted leadership of the university’s founders and the top administration, the university soon created a well-defined target market along with a focused mission and vision for the university. While the success of most of the universities that started at the very beginning is often attributed to “good luck” and first-mover advantages, SEU had to capitalize on building unique differences from other universities.

The founders of the university emphasized from the beginning that education was not to be treated as a commercial commodity. While most of the founders were top businessmen of this country, they established SEU as a purely non-profit institution so that higher education could be offered at an affordable cost, making it accessible to the children of lower-income families. While the university has a very good financial footing with more than 12,000 students now, the founders have remained firmly committed to keeping it fully non-profit. The surplus of the university is reinvested for infrastructural development and expansion of the university. As a result, the number of students applying for admission into different programs of this university grew rapidly. The tuition cost is low, but the quality of education maintained by the university is better than many of the universities that were established before and had been charging higher tuition. SEU has not deviated from its founding principle and wants to remain non-profit in the future.

Most of the private universities offer only those disciplines that have high market demand so that students can get employment as soon as they finish their degree. But a university cannot do justice to itself unless it offers certain basic disciplines that may not be commercially viable but are essential for human development. These disciplines are better known as “socially desirable” as opposed to “market-driven” disciplines. Very few private universities offer socially desirable disciplines such as Bangla Language and Literature. SEU first introduced a four-year Bachelor (Hons) program in Bangla. Although the initial enrollment was low, it started growing slowly but steadily. Later on, a Master’s program in the same subject was also introduced. The tuition cost in this Department is very low, but it plays a vital role in enriching the campus life by providing leadership in organizing various extracurricular programs. We have recently introduced an award on “Literature” and “Children’s Literature” to be given in the month of February every year. Emeritus Professor Anisuzzaman and Professor Shamsuzzaman Khan, Director General of Bangla Academy are among the members of the Award Committee.

The university has started construction of a state-of-the art permanent campus at Tejgaon, the heart of the city of Dhaka. While most of the private universities had to move out of Dhaka city to purchase sufficient land for the permanent campus, SEU has made a great difference by purchasing a total of 12 bigha land at the heart of the city. The permanent campus is quite spacious with all amenities available for a world-class modern university. Alongside five rented buildings at Banani, at present three departments are running all their classes in the permanent campus at Tejgaon.

Some private universities are reluctant to introduce science and engineering subjects requiring huge financial investment in laboratory facilities. Southeast University has been an exception. Our Textile Engineering department is highly reputable in the market. The Department of Pharmacy is accredited by the Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh. The Bachelor of Architecture has obtained accreditation by the Institute of Architects in Bangladesh. All of these disciplines require expensive laboratory facilities. The university authority was very happy to make such investments with a view to preparing future engineers, architects and pharmacists of this country.

We are very proud of our Law and Justice Department. Most of our law graduates have become renowned legal practitioners. A few of our graduates are providing leadership in teaching Law and Justice in other private universities.

SEU has a rigorous screening procedure for selecting faculty members. Most of the faculty members across all Departments are very dedicated and sincere to teaching and research. They take personalized care of each individual student. SEU also encourages academic research by faculty members. The Institute of Research and Training (IRT) offers funding for academic research.

Since SEU believes in making higher education accessible to the children of people from all walks of life, it has a generous tuition waiver policy. A large number of students become eligible for tuition waiver based on their academic results every semester. In addition, tuition waiver is also given based on results in H.S.C./A-Levels and for siblings, females, spouse and corporate groups. SEU is committed to maintaining educational quality. The Institutional Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) is a UGC-supported unit which is entrusted with the responsibility of assuring quality of education at the university. Year 2017 is the year of Consolidation and Development. We have been working together toward achieving three goals: 1. building SEU as a center of academic excellence, 2. building SEU as a center of research excellence, and 3. developing this university as a pro-student university. We give high importance on ethical values, morality, and manners and etiquettes. While preparing our students to face the challenges of the global market, we also emphasize on teaching them the history and culture of this country. None of our students were found involved in any militant or antisocial activities.

SEU believes in full integration, based on backward and forward linkages. Colleges, English-medium schools and employing institutions are our strategic partners. We also have strategic alliance with foreign universities, government institutions, training institutes and other national and international stakeholders and institutions. The Department of Career Services plays a vital role in establishing linkages with potential employers for employment and internships.

Innovation is the key to sustainable success of Southeast University. We are never complacent. We continuously look for new ways of doing things. Once we reach our goals, new goals are set at a higher stage. We believe in total quality management and continuous improvement. Founders, teachers, administrators, students and guardians work together at SEU. That is how we make a difference!

I would like to cordially invite you to visit our university if you want to know more about us.

Thank you.

Prof. Dr. ANM Meshquat Uddin
Vice Chancellor (Designate)
Southeast University