DEH Organizes the Second Forum of Curriculum Integration Program “Of Sustainability and Development: Academia Meets Practice”
The Department of English and Humanities at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) organized the Second Forum of the Fall 2021 Curriculum Integration Program on the theme “Of Sustainability and Development: Academia Meets Practice” on November 25, 2021. The guest speakers of the forum were Mr. Md. Maksud Ali, PhD Candidate, School of Education, University of Queensland, Australia, and Ms. Munasir Kamal, PhD Candidate, University of Leeds, UK and Assistant Professor (on leave), Dept. of English, University of Dhaka. Like the first forum of the Fall 2021 CI, conducted by Dr. Haseeb Md. Irfanullah, the second forum also focused on Sustainable Development and its 17 goals intermingling with literature and linguistics. The goal was to enlighten the students and faculty members of DEH with SDGs so that they can present multiple projects relating to their respective course(s), which will be showcased at the end of the semester.
The event formally started with a welcome speech by Prof. Shamsad Mortuza, Pro Vice-Chancellor, ULAB, and Dean of School of Arts and Humanities. Later, it was followed by the first guest speaker, Mr. Md. Maksud Ali. Mr. Ali spoke on "English and Development: Theoretical Perspectives, Policy Discourses, and Politics," outlining the major understanding of the word “development” aligning with language and English with reference to the United Nations’ millennium goals. Mr. Ali also raised a few theoretical perspectives and policy discourses drawn from English in Action projects implemented in the Bangladeshi context. In addition, he also highlighted some of the political issues embedded within the discourses. He concluded his talk with some solutions that interrogate the hegemony of English development in development discourses in ELT, pointing out the dominant perspectives, and introducing the critical pedagogy in teacher education.
The second guest speaker, Ms. Munasir Kamal, focused more on students’ perspectives towards Sustainable Development Goals, and how they plan to implement them in their current and future practices. She spoke on the “Goals of Studying English and the Sustainable Development Goals." In order to understand the goals of students, she initiated breakout rooms so that each student can share their future goals, and their reasoning to join the English department. The talk concluded with the song, “Kotoi Rongo Dekhi Duniyai” from Hirak Rajar Deshe, which relates to the Sustainable Development Goals.
The forum was hosted by Taznuba Afreen, a DEH Scholars Program student, and concluded by Ms. Tasmia Mayen, Lecturer, Department of English and Humanities and the coordinator of the Fall 2021 Curriculum Integration Program.
Watch the forum at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKX8kuFLfXM.
Report by Shahriyer Hossain Shetu
