"The Daily Star Campus Stars" is a show that highlights promising individuals who have excelled in their academics and extracurricular activities, alongside securing success in their professional paths. The fourth episode of the show took place on June 15, 2021, featuring panelists from University of Asia Pacific (UAP).

The online event was hosted by Shuvashish Roy, Head of Business,  The Daily Star. The speakers included Prof Dr Mohammed Tareque Aziz, Professor of Relationship Marketing, Department of Business Administration (BDA) and convener, UAP Branding Committee (UBC), Md Tarek Khan, Assistant Director, Admission and Directorate of Students' Welfare (DSW), UAP, Engr Khan Mohummad Kaiser, Vice Chairman, Computer Engineering Division, IEB Co-Founder, e-CAB President, UAP CSE Alumni Association, and Shahriar Islam Shovon, student of Law and Human Rights at UAP.

Students of UAP have managed to reach promising levels at different sectors, be it in science, commerce, or humanities. Under the guidance of prominent leaders, they have been allowed to nurture their skills, and overcome their difficulties.

"Philanthropist Sultan Mahmud, our vice chancellor, asked if I wanted to become an engineer when I first visited UAP for an admission. That time we had renowned physicist Sadruddin Ahmed Chowdhury, and Prof Dr Mir Shamsur Rahman among many others as our professors in the engineering department. Their love and down-to-earth nature alongside genuine appreciation always instigated me to keep learning and growing in my profession," shared Khan Mohummad Kaiser.

He also discussed the importance of the undergraduate project in forecasting a student's future skills. "National consultant Kazi Anwar Hossain was my supervisor during my undergraduate project. The things we had learned still come in handy in my profession," he added.

Shahriar Islam Shovon spoke about UAP's helpful student facilities. "Our teaching method is divided into three parts: curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular. It helps enhance students' hard and soft skills," he said. "The university's tuition waiver facilities encourage students to keep their CGPA up. The research platforms at UAP aid the process of transforming theoretic knowledge into practical implementation for positive change."

UAP is determined to keep up with global standards of teaching methodologies.

Dr Mohammed Tareque Aziz shared that the faculty of UAP is supporting students in this digital era and implementing updated pedagogy in the coronavirus pandemic. "To ensure all students had access to online education was our prime goal when the pandemic broke out. Our secondary goals were to protect our curriculum, and guarantee proper grading and evaluation," she mentioned. "With efforts from the staff, we ensured delivery, accountability, and processing, through intense research. We have even come out with a manual on online education, which has been of help to many."

UAP has collaborated with numerous foreign institutions to enhance capacity-building among students who wish to gather interdisciplinary knowledge and also be drawn to cultural activities while enhancing their communicative skills, especially in English. "Our DSW platform offers seminars, workshops, collaborations and participation opportunities at national and international competitions," shared Md Tarek Khan. "While these involvements help students to boost their confidence, it also directs them towards enhancing their creativity, alongside academic intelligence."

"Knowledge about different topics is aided by the research facilities, and grooming sessions and guidelines on public speaking, debating, or other such skills helps us boost our confidence," shared Shahriar Islam Shovon.

Furthermore, UAP offers a very convenient location, with a modern teaching-learning environment, and research and extra-curricular activities for students. "We believe in building not just leaders of tomorrow, but also ambassadors," concluded Dr Mohammed Tareque Aziz.

The author is trainee reporter, Arts & Entertainment, The Daily Star. Email: ashley@thedailystar.net.