A creative university based on modern technology in the port city
The University of Creative Technology Chittagong (UCTC), a new institution of higher education, was established in 2017 at Bahaddarhat in Chattogram city with the aim of providing creative and modern technology-oriented education after receiving approval from the Ministry of Education and University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2015.
The basic intention behind establishing this university is to provide quality education at an affordable cost. Besides, the university contributes to excellence in higher education through intensive teaching, research, creativity and innovation.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The Honourable Secretary and Founder of UCTC Mohammed Osman is highly optimistic about its achievements.
"Although we are relatively in an early stage, we have laudable achievements," he said.
Osman has highly emphasised on the quality of teachers, teacher-student ratio, adequate modern teaching aids along with appropriate technology, updated course curriculum, library facilities and pleasant campus environment to ensure a standard of higher education that shall one day meet international standards.
So far, eight departments have been approved: mechanical engineering, civil engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, computer science engineering, english language and literature, islamic studies, business administration and masters of public health.
Our faculty members, some with foreign degrees, play a vital role in shaping our students as future leaders in engineering, business, public health education and other professions. While the UCTC family thrives to uniquely contribute to academia, it equally prioritises the importance of preparing industry-ready graduates who will play a sterling role in building this nation.
UCTC strongly promotes in campus extra-curricular activities such as games and sports, debate, science fairs, cultural festivals and more to enable a holistic growth of intellectual and life skills among students, which in the course of time will turn UCTC into the leading center for learning, teaching and research in Bangladesh.
Some features of UCTC
Technology and modern education: UCTC is the only modern technology-based creative private university established in the port city of Chattogram. All the activities of this university have been automated. As a result, students can log in online to know their results, tuition fee payment information, and so on through the university management software.
Through the integrated university management software, apart from examination results of the university, the overall activities including library, human resource management and more are being managed.
Digital classrooms and labs: Blackboards, chalk and dusters come to mind when we think of classrooms but that era has passed long ago.
At present, many educational institutions operate with white boards and marker pens but UCTC is one step ahead. Here, teachers explain lessons to the students through the digital smart boards. The campus building has Wi-Fi facilities, multimedia classrooms, seminar halls and round-the-clock CCTV cameras for security. There are well-equipped laboratories with modern equipment compatible with the course curriculum. The 10-storey university has 36 classrooms while there are enough rooms for teachers to sit as well.
Each room is air-conditioned and in addition, almost every department has modern computer labs where 35 to 40 students can work together.
Library with 10,000 books: The university building has a central library with 10,000 books that more than two hundred students can sit and read together. There are various books on engineering and science, language, literature, marketing, economics, management, human resource management and various dictionaries.
On the occasion of Bangabandhu's birth centenary and the country's golden jubilee of independence, the Bangabandhu and Liberation War Corner has been launched in the central library. There are more than 150 books related to the language movement, the father of the nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the liberation war.
Besides, the newly established Bangabandhu Gallery is an attraction of the university campus.
Special financial benefits and merit-based scholarships: Comparatively low tuition fees and payment of tuition fees through monthly instalments are available at UCTC.
For example, meritorious SSC and HSC examination results, children of freedom fighters, children of widows, brothers, tribal students, nationally recognized sportspersons, artists, and above all, meritorious students from underprivileged families are given scholarships.
Between 10 to 100 per cent tuition fees are waived and apart from this, there are special scholarship opportunities based on semester results.
Co-curricular activities: Along with academic studies, students are regularly encouraged to participate in co-curricular activities to enhance their talent and skills. There are cultural clubs, language clubs, business clubs, sports clubs and various organisations through which students practice contemplative excellence.
Moreover, every department regularly organises educational tours. In these activities, the university authorities provide the necessary support as per the rules of the university. In addition to all this, all national and important days are properly observed.
Quality assurance: There is a quality assurance cell to ensure quality education. The Institutional Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) was constituted in 2020 on the directives of the UGC. Various seminars and workshops have been organised under this cell to enhance the professional skills of the teachers so that the quality of education in the university can be continuously improved.
Vice-Chancellor's view
Professor Md Zahid Hossain Sharif, PhD
Vice-chancellor (in-Charge), University of Creative Technology Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Education is a powerful instrument for the transformation of society. Higher education institutions (HEI) is the basis of knowledge in society, a comprehensive system of creativity and innovation for the sustainable socio-economic development of a nation.
The University of Creative Technology Chittagong (UCTC) started its journey with the motto "an approach to change through innovation and adoption of technology", and to foster sustainable development. Since its establishment in 2015, UCTC has focused on the importance of research with critical thinking, creative thinking and problem solving skills, quality teaching and services for local and national communities.
The goal of UCTC is to provide quality higher education and develop human resources at affordable costs. Another key objective of UCTC is to provide the outcome-based education and opportunity to students and graduates for higher studies abroad by bestowing profound knowledge and imparting skills.
The course curriculum of UCTC is devised on the demand of the ever-changing needs of industry so that graduates can be absorbed directly. Also, we cultivate ethics, morality and the right attitude among students. UCTC has got highly qualified faculty members with foreign degrees to comply with these objectives.
UCTC is continuously growing in its quality teaching and in-depth research along with its tangible infrastructural development. As one of the rising universities in Bangladesh, it started with three schools including the School of Business Administration with Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA), Masters of Business Administration (MBA); School of Science and Engineering with Bachelors of Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering; School of Arts and Social Science with Masters of Public Health, Bachelors of English Language and Literature, and Bachelors and Masters of Islamic Studies programmes. More programs are under review to get approval.
I am confident the university will be a hub of excellence for learning and research for our young talented minds very soon with the generous guidance of our board of trustees, and collaboration from academic colleagues at the national and international level. I hope that every student in the university can equip themselves with soft skills and hard skills so that they can face the challenges of globalisation.
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