Intelligence, Character, and the Future: Uttara University’s School of Business is Refining Business Education

Education is the cornerstone of a humane and inclusive society, and universities are a vital pillar of that foundation. At Uttara University's School of Business (SoB), this responsibility is embraced with the utmost respect. Since its inception in 2003, SoB has grown into the university's flagship school, offering some of the largest and fastest-growing honors (BBA) and graduate (MBA) programs in the university.

The SoB is guided by the profound words of famous American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.: "Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education." We believe that intelligence without character can lead to harmful societal effects. Consequently, our school promotes an educational culture that goes beyond traditional academic instruction, cultivating an environment rooted in respect, learning, and sharing.

The Faculty with an International Pedigree

At the heart of this mission is an experienced and caring faculty. Inspired by Nobel Laureate in Chemistry Dan Shechtman's belief that "If you want to contribute to humanity, the best thing you can do is become a teacher", our teachers become the guide and custodian of the future leaders, professionals and workers. More than one-third of our regular faculty members hold PhDs from prestigious institutions across North America, Europe, Japan, China, and Malaysia. Beyond their academic roles, they engage in social and industry activities—such as mentoring startups, student-led or otherwise—bringing a wealth of global knowledge to help develop students' intellectual capacity, personality, and entrepreneurial skills.

Knowledge for a Meaningful Life

Education at SoB is not merely about career preparation; it is about readying students for meaningful lives. We believe "hard skills" alone are insufficient for navigating complex social systems. Our holistic approach to learning objectives incorporate humility of thought, evidence-based scientific thinking, social harmony, consciousness of our planet and awareness of the creator.

To foster this, SoB promotes experiential learning and reflective thinking. Following influential American educator John Dewey's philosophy that "People don't learn from experience, they learn from reflection on experience," we bridge the gap between theory and practice through regular industry visitations, guest lectures from seasoned professionals, and robust internship programs. Furthermore, our faculty actively generates and disseminates knowledge through newspaper articles, prestigious journals, conferences, and our newly launched newsletter, "School of Business: SYNERGY", which serves as a platform for nurturing aspirations and sharing insights of our students and faculty.

Addressing the Employment Crisis

With the unemployment rate for educated youth in Bangladesh currently at an alarming 13-14%, the need for structural reform in education is urgent. In an era of AI, automation, and globalization, the business landscape is ever-evolving. At SoB, our goal is to etch the mindset of a "lifelong learner" into our students, enabling them to learn, adapt and reinvent themselves as the environment changes.

We are shifting the focus away from over-reliance on traditional memorisation-based performance toward the development of essential soft skills: creativity, attention to detail, collaboration, empathy, ethics, logic with integrity and "mini philosopher" mentality to read, think and ask the right questions.

Modernising Curricula for a Competitive Economy

To prepare students for a modern, competitive economy, we continually enhance our curricula and pedagogy with guidance from our Industry Advisory Board. We have already integrated AI literacy and interactive modules into our existing courses and in the process of introducing new industry-relevant business courses. Along with the university's drive and achievements in various international rankings, the Business School is also working to obtain accreditation from local and international bodies to strengthen its programs. 

Our global outlook is reinforced by engaging our international advisory board of scholars and collaborating with overseas educational institutions to bring their expertise and insights to our campus. These partnerships, alongside hands-on training and certification programs led by industry experts, significantly narrow the gap between education and the labour market. Looking ahead, the university plans to establish a dedicated Continuing Education Centre to expand these initiatives through postgraduate diplomas and specialised certifications.

Quality, Equity and Affordable Education

Both quality and equity are fundamental to our mission. Through comparatively lower tuition fees and attractive scholarships, Uttara University endeavours to provide the best possible educational experience given the resources. Our motto is "higher value for money"—we focus not just on recruiting the "best" students, but also on adding significant value to make improvements on the lives of every student we serve.

Our human-centred culture is defined by an "open-door" policy, a focus on student mental health, peer-assisted learning (PAL) and dedicated support for academically vulnerable pupils. Through university-wide and school-specific extracurricular clubs and activities, we ensure that our students are active participants not just within the university but also across broader society.

At Uttara University's School of Business, we are not just teaching business; but aspiring to become one of the premier business schools in the nation, preparing young minds to lead with both skill and soul.