November 23, 2019
President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Mr Md. Abdul Hamid,
Honorable convocation speaker the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr Ban Ki-moon,
Honorable Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni, MP,
Honourable Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen, MP,
Vice- Chancellor Prof. Vincent Chang,
Teachers, Parents, Distinguished Guests, and our dear Graduates,
I am honored to be with you today. I offer my heartfelt congratulations to all the graduates, and also to their guardians, and teachers, who have been an integral part of this journey.
You may know that this is my first convocation as the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees. So, this moment, is as special to me as you.
Dear graduates,
You are entering a world, at a time of unprecedented change. The planet and the society, will change more in this century, than all of human history. We are facing an existential threat, due to the effects of climate change. We are also in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution, meaning that, things like artificial intelligence and robotics, will change the nature of jobs done by humans. We are moving from a period of linear, to exponential change. Experts call this the VUCA world – a world that is Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous.
Clearly, the skillsets that you will require, to operate and succeed in this world, will be quite different from the ones needed by the generations before you. You will need, a combination of curiosity, continuous learning, the ability to think creatively, and critically, and the ability to collaborate with others, not only to solve complex problems, but also to create new value.
Brac University, we hope, has prepared you well. The residential semester, for example, is designed, to develop your ability to collaborate with others, to enhance your social and emotional intelligence, and to help you gain, a deeper understanding, of Bangladesh’s socio-economic challenges. We hope our efforts to nurture creativity, confidence, empathy and emotional intelligence will not go in vain.
Sir Fazle Hasan Abed KCMG, founded Brac University in 2001, with the aim of building socially conscious, empathic and capable leaders of the future. So far, we have graduated nearly 9000 students, who are already making a mark in different sectors, inside and outside the country. I have had the pleasure of working with some of them, and it gives me great hope, that we are, in the right direction.
But the work goes on. We are happy to say that we are transforming, to what Vice-Chancellor Vincent Chang calls Brac University 2.0. Looking towards the future, Brac University aims to be an international university, with a strong focus on research, teaching, and creating new knowledge, to impact lives, and help attain the Sustainable Development Goals. As many of you know, Brac University is building a state-of-the-art campus. Although, Graduates, it is a pity that you will not experience the new campus as students, but you will be happy to know, that we have plans to engage you as alumni, so that you may remain deeply connected to your alma mater, throughout your lives. So I hope, you will be back, in the new campus, and enjoy its beauty and environment, in many ways in future.
But more importantly, I hope from you three things: that you will approach everything you do, with integrity, and authenticity; that in your roles as future leaders, and changemakers, in whichever sector you work, you will always listen to the needs of people who have less voice, and less privilege; and that, you will have the courage to pursue your passions, and ambitions, with head and heart.
I again congratulate all the graduates on this defining moment in your lives. May you reach for the stars!
Thank you.