DEH Organizes the First Forum of Curriculum Integration Program “Of Sustainability and Development: Academia Meets Practice”

DEH Organizes the First Forum of Curriculum Integration Program “Of Sustainability and Development: Academia Meets Practice”

Publish Date: 
Sunday, November 21, 2021

The Department of English and Humanities at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) organized the first forum of the Fall 2021 Curriculum Integration Program on the theme “Of Sustainability and Development: Academia Meets Practice” on November 21, 2021. The guest speaker of the forum was Dr. Haseeb Md. Irfanullah, Independent Consultant - Environment and Climate Change and Research System and Visiting Research Fellow, CSD, ULAB. The focus of the forum was to engage the students of DEH with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in order to explore the different aspects of their studies in literature, language, and linguistics, and address issues such as inequality, quality education, and sustainable community. The main goal of this forum was to aid the students’ project representations that will be showcased at the end of the semester.

Dr. Haseeb Md. Irfanullah began the forum by initiating different definitions of sustainability addressed by the students of DEH. Then, he explained the importance of Sustainable Development, which is “to ensure transgenerational equity and justice as we progress and facilitate human and environmental well-being.” He also pointed out the United Nations SDGs Framework, the Aspects of SDG, the connection of ‘English’ with SDGs, the disciplines of SDGs, and the importance of SDGs on global and national levels. The most interesting part of the forum was the linking of ‘English’ with the Sustainable Development Goals as it helped students and faculty members visualize the connections between the SDGs and their respective courses. Dr. Haseeb used a few DEH courses, such as Restoration and 18th Century Literature, Modernism: Early 20th Century English Literature, Morphology and Syntax, and Postcolonial Theories and Literature, to make the connections clearer, more logical, and distinctive for the students which will greatly aid them in making their presentations.

Dr. Irfanullah concluded the forum with an open discussion for the students. He raised four questions for students as food for thought: First, our vision and actions to take as individuals and as global leaders; second, how the knowledge of the past can lead to the future; third, how we see the interactions among disciplines; and fourth, our thoughts on innovation in our approach as we lead a sustainable life. The forum ended with a question-answer session. The students of DEH participated actively in the entire forum.

The emcee of the forum was Tasfiyah Saba, a student of DEH.

Watch the forum at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvf8aUuFSsU.

Report by Shahriyer Hossain Shetu