The OEA team consists of nine members who are constantly working to fulfill the Vice-Chancellor’s mission to internationalize NSU. The descriptions of the OEA members are given below:
Director:
The Director is NSU’s chief academic officer dedicated to international engagement working to build and maintain strategic partnerships around the world in order to expand opportunities for international study, research, collaboration and exchange for faculty and students. The Director also works with other leaders of the university to maintain the reputation of NSU both at home and abroad through the use of strategic and effective communication. The current Director of the OEA is Dr. Katherine Li. Under her leadership, the OEA team works day and night to brand NSU to the world. She says, “The best thing about this job is that I get to put all my skills to use on a daily basis like leadership, strategic planning, stakeholder management, team-building, advocacy, networking, diplomacy, research, facilitation, cross-cultural skills, and social & emotional intelligence. Most of all, I get to continue to learn, grow and experiment with people I admire and respect.”
Assistant Director:
The Office of External Affairs has assigned an Assistant Director for the guidance and assistance of international faculty members. The Assistant Director assists the international faculty members and has responsibility for the management of other international affairs coordination for the OEA. The present Assistant Director is Dr. Hasanuzzaman. Sharing his views on this office, he says, “The OEA has been arranging many events in the last few years to enhance the image of NSU. However, with more engagement from different academic departments and the student body, this office can thrive more and properly portray the hard-earned stature of NSU. If you have something worthwhile to showcase, this office will give you the support for it.”
International Affairs Officer:
The Officer of the International Affairs Office (OIA) keeps all the records of the international students and helps them to resolve their problems. The International Affairs Officer is dedicated to the international students’ wellbeing and offers them support to make their stay in Bangladesh as pleasant as possible. At present, the International Affairs Officer is Ms. Samina Alam Miti. She says, “I want this office (OIA) to be recognized by students. Any support or information on study abroad, Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), scholarship programs and exchange programs can be received from this office. All they have to do is come and ask for it.”
Coordination Officer:
The Office of External Affairs has a Coordination Officer who is in charge of office operations. The Coordination Officer’s first priority is to ensure that the office is running effectively and efficiently. The Coordination Officer is responsible for maintaining all of the schedules and appointments and has all the necessary details about the office. Currently, the Coordination Officer is Ms. Tasnia Azmeri Madiha. Regarding her job, she says, “This job taught me how to communicate with people from all walks of life. My communication is so diverse that it starts all the way up from the members of the Board of Trustees of NSU to the local vendors of different shops. It’s amazing how much I get to learn about and from these people and improve my communicative skills.”
Alumni Affairs Officer:
OEA’s Alumni Affairs Officer has diverse responsibilities that focused on the alumni of NSU which include liaising with the alumni, attending and assisting to their queries, organizing alumni reunions, workshops and seminars, supervising and updating the alumni database and more. The Alumni Affairs Officer also hosts online live talk shows with the alumni which was broadcast on the official Facebook page of the OEA. Mr. Sk. Fardin Yaman is responsible for the Office of Alumni Affairs. He terms his work as ‘An Exciting Journey’. Regarding his role, he says, “My job is to work as a bridge between NSU and its alumni. The position of Alumni Affairs Officer has allowed me to connect to NSU’s vast network of alumni. And I have learned so much from each alumnus/alumna I worked with. This has been quite an amazing experience!”
Alumni Affairs Officer, Mr. SK. Fardin Yaman
Senior Officer:
Mr. Mehedi Masud Sumon, Senior Officer, Office of External Affairs (OEA) works on reaching out to government-registered local and international NGOs in Bangladesh for the purpose of establishing research collaborations, joint publications, resource/grant mobilization for research, training programs or workshops, and internship opportunities. As part of that outreach effort, he organizes meetings, live talk shows and maintains an NGO database. Additionally, he keeps track of the health of the institutional MoUs of NSU. He also provides support to the international students of NSU in finding suitable accommodation facilities.
Senior Officer, Mr. Mehedi Masud Sumon
Reporter:
The OEA employs a part-time student worker from NSU as a reporter and content writer. Currently, this role is being carried out by Ms. Nusrat Naila Nokshi, an undergraduate student from the School of Business and Economics. Her primary responsibilities are to report the events and meetings organized by the OEA. She is the main content writer of the OEA’s bi-monthly publication ‘The Bridge’. Alongside her regular responsibilities, she assists the other members of the OEA with student consultation, data storage and data organization. About her role, she says, “Through the reports and articles I write, I get to record not only the amazing events arranged by the OEA, but also the journey of this office as well as NSU towards greater internationalization. So basically, I am documenting the history of growth, glory and excellence through my writing.”
Reporter, Ms. Nusrat Naila Nokshi
Illustrator:
The OEA employs a part-time student worker to design a variety of promotional materials. His primary responsibilities are illustration and content design. Currently, the OEA’s Illustrator is Md. Hafiz Uzzaman Tuhin. About his role, he says, “The best thing about this office is that I get complete freedom of creativity. I was never given any specific design instructions by anyone in the office. They simply give me an idea of what they want and I turn that idea into reality.”
Illustrator, Mr. Md. Hafiz Uzzaman
International Ambassador:
Sadia Jeesan Ayesha, the former IELTS Campus Ambassador and the newly appointed International Ambassador by the OEA, focuses on enlightening students with study abroad opportunities and guiding them through the process of credit transfer. She works closely with the International Affairs Officer to organize inbound and outbound exchange programs, in addition to providing support with administrative responsibilities. According to Sadia, the opportunity to be involved in important discussions, deliver presentations to potential partner institutions and build connections with individuals worldwide has shaped her communication skills. She says: “Through this position, I’m continuously confronting my fears and surpassing them.”
International Ambassador, Sadia Jeesan Ayesha
The OEA also has two Office Support Staff (OSS) members who are there for the office’s productivity and smooth operation. They are Mr. Shahanaj Uddin and Mr. Selim Reza.