Dhaka University Launches Inter-University Innovation Competition to Foster Entrepreneurship

Photo Collected

A+ A A-

The Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE) Center at the University of Dhaka has launched an inter-university idea competition under the “Creative Bangladesh” project, aimed at fostering innovation and youth entrepreneurship across the nation’s public higher education institutions. The initiative was unveiled Tuesday at the Student-Teacher Centre (TSC) during the closing ceremony of the Strategic and Entrepreneurship Leadership (SEL) Summit, which also marked the 10th anniversary of the university’s Organization Strategy and Leadership (OSL) department.

Implemented through a government-to-government collaboration between the Bangladeshi authorities and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the “Creative Bangladesh” project seeks to establish a sustainable ecosystem for student-led innovation. The competition is open to both current students and alumni from seven major institutions: the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Bangladesh Agricultural University, the University of Rajshahi, the University of Chittagong, and Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET).

Selected teams will gain access to a comprehensive 320-hour entrepreneurship program, providing them with technical support, expert mentoring, and training to refine their concepts into viable business ventures. Interested participants are invited to submit proposals across diverse sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, information technology, education, climate change, energy, e-commerce, and the creative industries. Applications will be accepted from July 1 to July 14, followed by pitch sessions scheduled for July 22 and 23.

During the launch, University of Dhaka Vice-Chancellor Professor A.S.M. Maksud Kamal emphasized the administration’s commitment to transforming the university into a world-class research and innovation hub. He urged students to look beyond traditional job-seeking roles, advocating instead for the development of leadership and entrepreneurial skills that empower them to become job creators.

The event, chaired by OSL department chairman Associate Professor Md. Rashedur Rahman, also featured remarks from Professor Mahmud Osman Imam, Dean of the Faculty of Business Studies. Reflecting on the OSL department’s decade of service, officials noted that the department has successfully carved out a distinct identity in strategic management, leadership development, and entrepreneurial research within the academic landscape.