The Office of Academic Advising of BRAC University (BRACU) organised an orientation program for parents of freshman students of Spring 2018 on 12 and 13 March 2018 at the BRACU auditorium of its Mohakhali campus.
Inaugurating the event as chief guest, Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Ansar Ahmed said BRACU would in effect be an umbrella over students and was very much focused on ensuring better ways of learning.
There were presentations on the Office of Academic Advising, Residential Semester, Relationship Management Office, Counseling Unit, Office of Career Services & Alumni Relations, and Office of Co-Curricular Activities.
At this age of globalisation, deeper thought must be given before talking to children regarding sensitive issues, said Associate Professor Sharmind Neelotpol, director of the Office of Academic Advising, adding that children preferred discussions, not arguments.
She delivered a presentation on how the Office of Academic Advising supports students and how parents could collaborate with them.
The Residential Semester at Savar is the most unique feature of BRACU trying to produce complete, ethical and enlightened leaders through experiential learning activities as academic excellence alone can not make someone successful, Rehan Ahmed, campus superintendent of RS, told the parents.
Ismat Shereen, head, Relationship Management Office, talked about the criteria of scholarships for students. BRACU spent Tk 13 crore for scholarships last year, she said. She also described the procedure of applying for scholarships in a presentation.
BRACU has the largest counselling unit among all universities of Bangladesh, said Tasnuva Huque, psychosocial counsellor and lecturer, Counselling Unit. She explained how parents could understand whether children needed the support of counselling.
Kazi Shahnoor Kabir, senior executive, Office of Career Services & Alumni Relations, delivered a presentation on how the office helped students regarding career related services such as find internships and fulltime jobs.
BRACU has 26 clubs and being a part of one never hampers education, rather engaging with club activities develops leadership qualities in students, said Dilara Afroz Khan Rupa, director, Office of Co-Curricular Activities.
There was a question and answer session with the around 250 parents who attended the orientation program in two slots.