Prof. Bokhtiar Ahmed, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (SLASS) at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), has been appointed the UNESCO Chair in Language Ecology, making IUB the third Bangladeshi university to house this prestigious chair. 

In this role, Prof. Ahmed will lead a four-year research initiative at IUB’s Shasheen Center for Multilingual Excellence (SCMLE), which is dedicated to advancing research and practices in the field of language ecology – both within Bangladesh and globally.

The appointment follows a formal agreement between IUB and UNESCO to promote international collaboration and knowledge-sharing between institutions. With the establishment of this Chair, IUB joins a distinguished global network of UNESCO Chairs and the University Twinning and Networking (UniTwin) Program, further strengthening the university's commitment to its internationalization goals.

The creation of the UNESCO Chair marks a significant milestone in IUB's ongoing dedication to inclusive and sustainable development. The project under Prof. Ahmed's leadership will integrate research, teaching, training, and community engagement. 

The focus will be on promoting the preservation of endangered languages and cultures, developing digital literacy tools and multilingual educational materials, and enhancing access to educational and employment opportunities – particularly for communities that speak endangered languages.

Founded in 2022, SCMLE has quickly become a cornerstone of IUB’s research initiatives, focusing on the preservation of endangered languages and the cultural heritage of speaker communities in Bangladesh. The establishment of the UNESCO Chair is a well-deserved recognition of the center’s early accomplishments and its continued impact in the field of language ecology.

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