Shihab Ud Dowla, a distinguished alumnus of the School of Pharmacy at Brac University and a former Student Tutor at the same institution, achieved a remarkable feat by securing a prestigious, fully funded scholarship at the University of Helsinki in Finland. This scholarship is highly competitive and attracts some of the most exceptional and accomplished students. Earning such an award signifies a demonstration of exceptional merit in various areas, including academics, leadership, research, and more.
The University of Helsinki holds a prestigious position in the world of academia as Finland's oldest and largest academic institution, founded in 1640. It consistently ranks among the top 100 universities globally, placing it in the upper echelons of academic excellence, within the top 0.5 percentile of universities worldwide and among the top 40 in Europe.
Shihab's academic journey at the University of Helsinki is centered around his pursuit of a master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Research, Development, and Safety, offered by the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. This faculty is recognized as one of the top 50 in the world in 2022, as per the esteemed Shanghai Ranking (Academic Ranking of World Universities - ARWU).
To highlight the research prowess of the University of Helsinki, in 2022 alone, it produced a staggering total of 11,123 publications. Among these, 8,522 were refereed scholarly publications, and notably, 56% of them were the result of international collaborations. This emphasizes the institution's global reach and influence in the academic community.
The education system in Finland is widely regarded as one of the best globally, characterized by a strong emphasis on research-based teaching. His journey from BRAC University to this prestigious scholarship underscores the significant contributions of his alma mater to his success.