The 2026 Plenary Meeting of the Academic Board of the Centre for China Studies was held on 7 May 2026 at the Meeting Room of the Honorable Vice-Chancellor of University of Dhaka. The meeting brought together distinguished academic leaders and representatives from Bangladesh and China to discuss the future direction, academic activities, and institutional cooperation of the Centre for China Studies (CCS).
The session was moderated by Professor Dr. Syeda Rozana Rashid, Director of the Office of International Affairs at the University of Dhaka. The meeting began with opening remarks by Professor Dr. A. B. M. Obaidul Islam, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka and Co-Chairman of the Academic Board of CCS, followed by remarks from Chen Dongxiao, Chairman of the Academic Board of CCS and President of Shanghai Institutes for International Studies.
In his remarks, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A. B. M. Obaidul Islam emphasized that the Centre for China Studies would continue to strengthen academic and institutional cooperation between Bangladesh and China. He noted with satisfaction that a significant number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are being signed between the University of Dhaka and various Chinese universities, which he described as a positive development for expanding academic collaboration, research partnerships, faculty exchange, and student mobility between the two countries. He expressed optimism that the collaboration among participating universities and institutions would further expand in the coming years through joint research, academic exchange, training programmes, and people-to-people connectivity initiatives.
Professor Chen Dongxiao presented the CCS 2025 Work Summary and the 2026 Work Plan, highlighting the Centre’s achievements, international academic engagement, research initiatives, and future plans for deeper collaboration between Bangladeshi and Chinese institutions. During his remarks, he also highly appreciated the successful organization of the Young Leaders Delegation and Young Diplomats Delegation visits to China under the initiative of CCS, describing them as remarkable achievements for the Centre in promoting mutual understanding and people-to-people connectivity between Bangladesh and China.
During the discussion session, distinguished Academic Board members from both countries shared their observations and recommendations regarding the future development of CCS. Mohammad Ismail, Vice-Chancellor of Noakhali University of Science and Technology, stated that opportunities created through CCS should not remain limited only to the University of Dhaka; rather, universities across Bangladesh should also benefit from such academic cooperation and international engagement initiatives.
The meeting was also attended by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Shamsad Mortuza of University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, Mohammad Ismail, Vice-Chancellor of Noakhali University of Science and Technology, A. M. Sarwaruddin Chowdhury of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Professor Dr. Abdus Salam and Professor Dr. Sayema Haque Bidisha, the two Pro Vice-Chancellors of the University of Dhaka, along with Senior academics, researchers, and representatives from SIIS & other distinguished members from CCS partner organizations and universities, including Tongji University and Yunnan University. Several respected Academic Board members and representatives from Chinese partner institutions also joined the meeting online.
The plenary meeting concluded with closing remarks from Professor Chen Dongxiao and Professor Dr. A. B. M. Obaidul Islam, reaffirming their shared commitment to strengthening Bangladesh-China academic cooperation through the Centre for China Studies.
