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.”
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.”
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. Zafreen Islam 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. Zafreen Islam
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.