The Honorable Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, Professor Dr. Akhtaruzzaman has launched undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs in ‘Applied Statistics and Data Science’ at the Institute of Statistical Research and Training (ISRT), University of Dhaka effective from the academic year 2022-23. An inaugural ceremony was organized for this purpose at the Nabab Nawab Ali Senate Bhaban on October 4, 2023 with Dr. Dipu Moni, M.P., Honorable Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh as Chief Guest (virtually) and Professor Dr. A.K.M. Maksud Kamal, Pro-VC (Academic) as Special Guest. The launching ceremony was presided over by Professor Dr. Akhtaruzzaman, Honorable Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka. The speakers expressed their satisfaction with ISRT’s initiatives to offer degree programs aimed at producing graduates with statistical decision-making, computer programming, and data analytic skills. The Honorable Minister of Education, Dr. Dipu Moni, stressed the need to strengthen the ‘Industry-Academia’ relationship and acknowledged that the graduates would play a vital role in building a ‘Smart Bangladesh’. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, emphasized on the importance of ethical standards and human values in data science education. The Director of ISRT, Professor Dr. Tamanna Howlader, thanked the Dhaka University authorities for taking the landmark decision of introducing the ‘Applied Statistics and Data Science’ degree programs at the University of Dhaka. ISRT Professor Dr. Hasinur Rahaman Khan presented a talk summarizing the key features of these programs. In addition, President of Data Soft, Mr. M. Manjur Mahmud spoke about the importance of data science from the industry perspective and mentioned that the new academic programs would be valuable in creating human resources capable of taking on the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution.

In the second session of the program, how the various aspects of the curriculum of the program will play a role in creating real data scientists, how to prepare data scientists according to the needs of the industry and stakeholders, the institute teachers and the invited data scientists from the industry also discussed.