North South University (NSU) has taken a step towards strengthening academic and agribusiness collaboration between Bangladesh and Australia through a recent high-level delegation visit to the University of Western Australia (UWA) in Perth. NSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury led the delegation, which included Benajir Ahmed, former Chairman and Member of the NSU Board of Trustees, and Professor Dr. Nazrul Islam, Director of the NSU-UWA Agribusiness Centre of Excellence, a press release said.
The delegation met with Faculty from the UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, the UWA Institute of Agriculture, and the School of Population & Global Health at UWA, and toured the campus plant-growth facilities. They also worked with the UWA team to map out the next steps for future collaboration between our two universities.
As part of the visit, the delegation joined UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Amit Chakma for a roundtable on the NSU-UWA Agribusiness Centre of Excellence at UWA’s Winthrop Hall, where university leaders, government officials, researchers, and industry representatives discussed opportunities in agricultural innovation, food security, climate resilience, and investment between Australia and Bangladesh.
The delegation also paid a courtesy visit to The Right Honourable Bruce Reynolds, Lord Mayor of the City of Perth, at Council House, strengthening connections between Perth and Bangladesh.
The highlight of the visit was the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between NSU and UWA to expand their partnership. One key agreement is a 2+2 articulation program for NSU’s Bachelor of Commerce students, enabling them to complete part of their undergraduate studies at UWA, and the other is a contribution in support of strengthening the research and development activities of the NSU-UWA Agribusiness Centre of Excellence (ACE) at NSU.
Looking ahead, NSU will host an international symposium on December 13, 2026, in collaboration with UWA and other partners. The symposium will focus on agribusiness transformation, technology transfer, value-chain development, and a roadmap for Bangladesh-Australia cooperation from 2027 to 2030.
Anchored by the NSU-UWA Agribusiness Centre of Excellence, this partnership aims to bridge academic research with practical applications, creating sustainable agribusiness opportunities for both nations.
