Type Public Chancellor Abdul Hamid Pro-Vice-Chancellor Md. Abul Hossain | Established 1970 (1970) Vice-Chancellor Farzana Islam Academic staff 755 (2014) | |
Jahangirnagar University (Bengali: জাহাঙ্গীরনগর বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় Jahangirnôgôr Bishwôbidyalôy, University Acronym: জাবি or JU ) is a public university in Bangladesh, based in Savar Upazila, Dhaka. It is the only fully residential university in Bangladesh.
Contents
- History
- Jahangirnagar University Act of 1973
- Location and campus
- List of vice chancellors
- Faculties
- Institutes
- Research Center
- Cultural organisation
- Other organisations
- Student life
- Halls for male students
- Halls for female students
- Central library
- Medical centre
- TSC
- Zahir Raihan Auditorium
- Notable professors and alumni
- References
The university was established in 1970 by the Jahangirnagar Muslim University Ordinance of the government of Pakistan. Its first vice-chancellor, Mafiz Uddin Ahmad (PhD in chemistry, University of Illinois, Chicago) took up office on 24 September 1970. The first group of students, a total of 150, were enrolled in four departments: Economics, Geography, Mathematics, and Statistics. Its formal inauguration was delayed until 12 January 1971, when the university was launched by Rear Admiral S. M. Ahsan, the chancellor.
It operated as a project until 1973, when the 'Jahangirnagar Muslim University Act' was amended as the 'Jahangirnagar University Act'.
In 2014, the university had 16,781 students, 755 teachers, and 1,430 other employees. On 2 March 2014, Farzana Islam, a professor of the Anthropology department, was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of JU, marking the country's first woman to hold the position.
History
Jahangirnagar University was formally launched on 12 January 1970 under the Jahangirnagar Muslim University Ordinance, 1970 and this day is observed as University Day. Initially, it was namedJahangirnagar Muslim University, and the plan was to operate the university like Aligarh Muslim University. But after the independence of Bangladesh, its name changed to Jahangirnagar University under the Jahangirnagar University Act' 1973.
Jahangirnagar University Act of 1973
ACT NO. XXXIV OF 1973, an act to repeal the Jahangirnagar Muslim University Ordinance, 1970 and to provide for reconstitution and reorganisation of the Jahangirnagar Muslim University.
Location and campus
The university stands on the west side of the Asian Highway, popularly known as the Dhaka-Aricha Road, and is 32 kilometres away from the capital. Spread over an area of 697.56 acres (2.8 km²), the campus surrounded by the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC) on the south, and the Savar Cantonment on the northeast, on the north of which is the National Monument (Jatiyo Smriti Soudho) and a large dairy farm on the east. The topography of the land with its gentle rise and plains is pleasing to the eyes. The water features sprawled around the campus make an excellent habitat for the winter birds that flock in every year in the thousands and consequently, it is a site frequented by many bird watchers.
The university is an autonomous body managed by an executive council known as 'the syndicate'. Its statutes need ratification by the senate of the university, which meets at least once a year to do the same. The senate passes the annual budget of the university, reviews its academic matters, and elects a panel of three nominees for the position of its vice-chancellor once every four years. the selection and appointment is made by the president of Bangladesh, who is the chancellor of the university. The chancellor also appoints the pro-vice-chancellor and the treasurer of the university.
List of vice-chancellors
Faculties
There are 34 departments under six faculties:
Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Science
Faculty of Biological Science
Faculty of Social Science
Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Faculty of Business Studies
Faculty of Law
Institutes
There are four institutes for specialised research and training:
Research Center
Cultural organisation
Jahangirnagar University is culturally vibrant university with number of cultural organisations run by the students and teachers, including:
News And Media Society of Jahangirnagar University:
Regional Organizations:
1. Jahangirnagar University Barisal Divisional Students Welfare Association (JUBDSWA).
Other organisations
Student life
With fifteen residential halls (and more under construction), Jahangirnagar University is mandated to provide residential accommodation to every student with separate halls for the female students. Each hall has its own administration system headed by a provost and is equipped with facilities such as playgrounds, rooms for indoor games, dining halls etc.
Halls for male students
Halls for female students
Central library
Established in 1985, the JU library is equipped with a huge collection of books. Located behind a monument of "Sangshaptak", the library is conveniently placed between the main academic buildings and the dormitories. The entire area has Wi-Fi coverage. There are more than 110,000 books, 14,000 hard bound journals, and 22,000 online journals in the library. The library can accommodate over 170 students at a time. There is a cyber centre in the premises. Airy with ample glass openings, the library is an elegant piece of architecture.
Obtaining and cancelling a library membership involves a fair number of steps. The library administration plans to extend the library buildings and make the whole system computerised, to make it easier to lend books. The library's design used to be more spacious than it currently is. But the authority did not complete its entire structure. This results in students facing problems when using the library, especially since the university is residential.
Medical centre
Jahangirnagar University has its own medical centre for students, teachers and other staff member. The centre provides 24-hour service and is supervised by the chief medical officers with a staff of qualified doctors. Despite bearing all expenses related to treatment for students, it only provides health-related advice to staff members (including teachers).
Jahangirnagar University maintains a medical centre established in mid 1972. The centre used to be located in Al Beruni. It was moved to its present location (beside the Fazilatunnesa hall and behind the transformation office) later on. Presently, 30 medicine companies supply their products . A new medical centre building is being built following a long student movement.
TSC
The teachers-student centre has the prime role in improving the relationship between the teachers and the students of the campus. It is a cultural hub for the university. Cultural groups usually perform drama and cultural programmes at Muktomoncho. Shaptam Chayamancha is a great attraction for students.
Zahir Raihan Auditorium
The "Zahir Raihan auditorium", located in the TSC complex, is named after Zahir Raihan, a famous Bangladeshi novelist, writer and filmmaker. There is also a seminar hall for seminars, meetings and cultural programmes. The auditorium has 1500 seats, while the seminar hall can accommodate 250 persons. It is an auditorium fully equipped for drama, cultural activities, international conferences, and other similar events.
The university has a gymnasium, a well-equipped swimming pool, an amphitheatre, and a central cafeteria. Adequate bus services between the campus and Dhaka city are provided to the students, teachers, and other employees of the university.