The Asian University for Women, located in Chittagong, Bangladesh, has extended 250 scholarships to exceptionally talented female students from conflict-ridden Gaza, enabling them to pursue undergraduate or graduate studies. These scholarships provided by AUW encompass all expenses including international travel, accommodation, tuition fees, healthcare, and a monthly allowance. Regrettably, it is worth mentioning that there is at least one AUW alumna from Gaza who, upon returning home, has yet to be located.
The selection process for the 250 students has been completed based on their academic history and other notable achievements. Mr. Kamal Ahmad, the Founder & CEO of AUW, affirmed this commitment during a meeting with His Excellency Dr. Riad Mansour, the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, held at the ambassador's offices in New York. Ambassador Mansour, who has a background in education himself, expressed deep appreciation for AUW's initiative and pledged his support in facilitating the prompt relocation of the students from Gaza to AUW's campus in Chittagong.
It may be noted that AUW was established by the Parliament of Bangladesh in 2008 to specifically support the education of women from conflict areas, among others. Nearly 550 Afghan students currently attend AUW; there are at least another 300 students attending AUW from other conflict areas including Myanmar, Syria and Yemen. In a recent convocation address Professor Richard Saller, President of Stanford University, referred to his own personal experience teaching a group of students from AUW at Stanford one summer "as the most rewarding teaching experience of my career" and went on to say "These students came from modest families in various countries across South Asia. One of the principal goals of AUW was to instill confidence and a powerful sense of agency in these students, who came from societies that limited opportunities for women sometimes severely".
The Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina holds the position of Chief Patron at AUW, while the Honorable Minister of Social Welfare Dr. Dipu Moni serves as the Chairman of the Board. Dr. Rubana Huq, a distinguished educator and entrepreneur, serves as the Vice Chancellor. A custom-designed campus spanning one million square feet is currently under development on a 140-acre plot in Chittagong, with guidance from renowned architects Moshe Safdie and Renzo Piano. Once completed, AUW will have the capacity to accommodate 11,000 talented students from diverse backgrounds, regardless of their economic, social, religious, national, or ethnic affiliations. Additionally, an AUW Lab School, under the leadership of Founding Principal Dr. Dale Taylor, is set to launch in August this year, focusing on nurturing younger students with exceptional potential for academic and leadership excellence.
