AIUB expands international partnerships at global education congress

American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB) participated in the Global Sustainable Development Congress (GSDC) 2026, organised by Times Higher Education (THE) in Jakarta, Indonesia, from June 22 to 25.

AIUB was the only university from Bangladesh to exhibit at the congress, which brought together universities, policymakers, researchers, industry leaders and sustainability experts to discuss higher education's role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a press release.

The AIUB delegation was led by Ishtiaque Abedin, founder member of the Board of Trustees; Shania Abedin, member of the Board of Trustees; Prof. Dr. Dip Nandi, dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology; and Carlin Noelle Lamagna, deputy director of the Office of Planning and Development.

During the congress, AIUB signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with 14 higher education institutions in Indonesia and the Philippines to strengthen cooperation in student and faculty exchanges, joint research, curriculum development and other academic initiatives.

The partner institutions include Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Quezon City University.

According to the university, discussions also progressed with City University of Macau on a student exchange programme that could begin in January 2027. The delegation also held introductory meetings with representatives of Nanyang Technological University and Hanyang University to explore future collaboration.

Prof. Dr. Dip Nandi and Carlin Noelle Lamagna participated in a masterclass on the evolution of the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings methodology. Prof. Nandi also joined a panel discussion on lifelong learning and its role in educational excellence and social impact.

The university said its participation at the congress reflected its commitment to international collaboration, sustainability and strengthening Bangladesh's presence in global higher education.