BRAC University, University of Cambridge explore partnership for global impact
BRAC University and the University of Cambridge have initiated discussions on a wide-ranging partnership to accelerate research-to-impact collaborations in health, education, wellbeing, social inclusion, industrial development, and the responsible use of technology.
The discussions, held at the University of Cambridge on 20 October, aim to align BRAC University's community reach and innovation capacity with Cambridge's global research excellence. The initiative seeks to establish a clear pathway from discovery to deployment — enabling solutions to be tested rapidly, implemented effectively, and scaled sustainably.
Recognising Bangladesh as a launchpad for scalable social innovation, both universities plan to co-design studies and solutions through a dedicated co-creation lab. Cambridge partners have already shared a programme outline to align with BRAC University's strengths and accelerate the first wave of collaborative projects.
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Immediate priorities include formalising joint governance mechanisms and confirming the first set of pilot initiatives with measurable success indicators in health, learning, safety, and inclusion.
The BRAC University delegation included Vice-Chancellor Professor Ferhat Anwar; Dr Imran Matin, Executive Director, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development; Registrar Dr David Dowland; and Gemma May, Government Relations and Policy Lead, BRAC Europe. From Cambridge, attendees included Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice; Professor John Danesh, Head of the Department of Public Health and Primary Care; and Dr Nazia Habib, Director of the Centre for Resilience and Sustainable Development.
The Rt Hon Sir Andrew Mitchell MP, former UK government minister, joined the meeting live from the House of Commons, acknowledging the global impact of the BRAC movement and commending the partnership's potential.
This collaboration directly advances several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
By fostering scalable innovation across health, education, inclusion, and responsible technology, the partnership builds on Bangladesh's legacy of social innovation to drive equitable and sustainable global impact.
