Southeast University: A higher education institution for the modern times

"Where will I be admitted?" is a question that plagues the minds of students and their respective parents after Higher Secondary Certificate exams. Hundreds of students struggle with the limited seats of public universities. Fortunately, private universities are no longer lagging behind and Southeast University (SEU) is one of the leading private universities in Bangladesh today.

SEU opened its doors to the first batch of students in the beginning of 2002. Reputed academicians and administrators such as Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. ANM Meshquat Uddin, Adviser Prof. Dr. AFM Mafizul Islam, Pro Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md. Abu Taher, Treasurer Prof. Dr. Engr. Muhibul Haque Bhuyan, Registrar Maj. Gen. Kazi Fakhruddin Ahmed (Retd.), Architect Prof. Meer Mobashsher Ali, Prof. Dr. Md. Abdul Hakim, Prof. Syed Fakhrul Hassan, and dedicated members of SEU Board of Trustees led the institution.

It's a common misconception that private universities represent an opportunity for higher education in exchange for exorbitant sums of money. However, underprivileged students are not deprived of admission into SEU due to affordable tuition and various scholarship and waivers. The goal of SEU is an unorthodox one, in the sense that, it's main aim is to create opportunities of higher education for middle and lower-middle class students, create future leaders in society, formulate academic discipline, and provide higher education at a low cost.

Starting with only 107 students, SEU currently boasts a student body of more than 12,000. In a short amount of time, the university has earned the confidence of thousands of native and foreign students. As a result, foreign students, notably from China, are regularly enrolling in SEU to study Bangla Language and Literature among other subjects. Many graduates are going onto post-graduate programs abroad with full scholarships. A permanent campus in the heart of the capital, quality of education, experienced faculty, independent lab facilities, regular discussion with students through MoUs, a drug and politics-free environment, and results of students have helped SEU establish itself as one of the top institutions of the country.

SEU began with only five programs. Its journey has seen that number grow to 19 with plans to introduce even more programs in the future to keep up with global standards. New programs include Hotel Management and Tourism, Nursing Technology, Health Care Management, Public Health, etc. The university maintains an international curriculum, accredited by bodies such as IEB, IAB, PCB, and Bar Council. The Institute for Research and Training (IRT) and Institutional Quality Assurance Center (IQAC) exist to ensure quality education.

SEU provides modern labs for each department. Apart from specialised computer labs with the latest equipment, there is a separate computer lab for the Law, English, and Economics departments, and a modern telecommunications lab for the CSE department. For the Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) department, analog and digital electronics labs, machine labs, power system labs, equipped with sophisticated instruments have been made available. According to the regulations of the Bangladesh Pharmacy Council, six pharmacy labs, including a microbiology lab and independent seminar libraries have also been constructed.

Necessary facilities such as a textile lab, knitting lab, dyeing lab, oven lab, and spectrophotometer with sophisticated machinery are also available for the Textile department. The university also provides buses for corporate and laboratory and factory visits for students.

On the other hand, the department of Law and Justice is decorated with a Moot Court to provide students with practical experience. In 2009, the students of the Law department were elected as the Best Mooters in the 5th National Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition. In 2012 and 2013, students of the Law department became champions and runner-ups respectively.

It is noteworthy that Southeast University also provides insurance policies for students. The facility is solely for them. Under the policy titled "People's Personal Accident Insurance Policy", students will receive financial support and continue their studies if they were to meet with any accidents or mishaps. Aside from that, full-time doctors are also available for regular health check-ups at SEU.

No university is complete without a modern, rich library for research and study purposes. SEU boasts a vibrant, wide-spreading library with books covering topics ranging from business administration, computer science, history, culture, sociology, law, textile, engineering, pharmacy, economics, Islamic studies, language and literature. The library also contains both national and international journals and daily newspapers. The library is open to students every day of the week. Select books can also found in their digitised versions on the SEU web-based library.

Co-curricular activities also form a large part of an educational institution. The 15 university clubs arranged a variety of programs, indoor games, outdoor games, as well as study tours. Students set out on an education tour to learn about different countries and cultures each year. So far, the students have organised a number of successful study tours abroad. This experience abroad aids our students in successfully contributing to the job market both home and abroad.