UIU honours robotics champions for international success

The App Forum (AF), part of the Directorate of Career Counselling & Student Affairs (DCCSA) at United International University (UIU), hosted a reception, Meet the Champions of UIU, on August 9, at the UIU campus to honour the university's three robotics teams—UIU Mars Rover, UIU Ascend, and UIU Mariner—for their recent international competition achievements.

Special Guest Ariful Hasan Opu, who serves as President of Space Innovation Camp and Adviser for NASA Space Apps Challenge BD, addressed the event. Other notable guests included Professor Emeritus Dr M Rezwan Khan, serving as Executive Director of the Institute for Advanced Research (IAR) at UIU, and Professor Dr Hasan Sarwar, Dean of the School of Science and Engineering. The programme was presided over by Professor ASM Salahuddin, Vice-Chancellor (in charge) of UIU.

UIU Mars Rover Team secured 1st place in Asia for the fourth consecutive year and 6th globally in the University Rover Challenge 2025, organised by the Mars Society, USA. They also placed 3rd globally and 1st in Asia in the 2025 Anatolian Rover Challenge, hosted by the Space Exploration Society of Turkey (UKET).

UIU Mariner, the country's first-ever university team in the field, achieved 5th place globally in the MATE ROV World Championship 2025 (Pioneer Class), also earning 1st place in Asia and the Technical Documentation Champion title.

UIU Ascend won 2nd place in Asia and 7th globally in the CanSat Competition 2025, organised by the American Astronautical Society (AAS), USA. They had earlier secured 3rd place in Asia and 11th globally in 2024.

Addressing the event, Opu congratulated the teams for "changing the technology map of Bangladesh" and urged students to focus on both technology and academics to thrive in a globalised era.

Around 150 students from nine colleges in Dhaka, along with university teachers, officials, and distinguished guests, attended the ceremony.