The QS Bangladesh Forum 2026, themed Benchmark Bangladesh: Building World-Class Universities Through Global Standards,”was held in Dhaka on 17 August 2026 for the first time in Bangladesh. The landmark initiative was organised by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), hosted by the American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB), and supported by the University Grants Commission (UGC), Bangladesh and the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh (APUB). The forum brought together nearly 400 distinguished participants from across Bangladesh’s higher education sector.

The forum brought together distinguished academics, Vice-Chancellors of public and private universities, founders of private universities, members of the UGC, policymakers, government representatives, representatives of diplomatic missions, international organisations and development partners, as well as representatives from the industrial sector.

The opening session featured Dr. Ashwin Fernandes, Vice President–Strategic & International Engagement, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS); Mr. Ishtiaque Abedin, Founder Member, AIUB & Secretary General of APUB; Dr. Md. Sabur Khan, Chairman, APUB; Mr. Jason Newman, Chief Commercial Officer, QS; Ms. Nadia Anwar, Chairman, Board of Trustees, AIUB; Prof. Dr. Mamun Ahmed, Chairman, UGC; and Dr. A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon, MP, Hon’ble Minister for Education and Primary and Mass Education.

The forum featured sessions led by Dr. Ashwin Fernandes, QS Vice President–Strategic & International Engagement; Mr. Jason Newman, QS Chief Commercial Officer; and Mr. Rami Awad, Regional Partnerships Director. The sessions focused on the QS rankings landscape, the QS World and Asia University Rankings methodologies, and rankings data submission for the 2028 cycle.

Two high-level panel discussions were held during the afternoon. The first, titled “From Campus to Capability: Closing Bangladesh’s Future Skills Gap in the AI Era,” was moderated by Mr. Jason Newman and featured Prof. Dr. Abdullah-AL-Mamun, Member, UGC; Dr. Carmen Z. Lamagna, Member, Board of Trustees, AIUB; Prof. Dr. Mohammad Al-Forkan, Vice-Chancellor, Chittagong University; Prof. Dr. Syed Ferhat Anwar, Vice-Chancellor, Brac University; and Mr. Shafiqul Islam Sarker, Managing Director, Purbani Group.

The second panel, titled “Accelerating Digital Transformation in Higher Education,” was moderated by Dr. Md. Abdur Rahman, Pro Vice- Chancellor and featured Prof. Dr. Md Khairul Islam, Vice-Chancellor, SUST; Dr. Md. Sabur Khan, Chairman, Board of Trustees, DIU; Prof. M. Tamim, Vice-Chancellor, IUB; and Prof. Dr. Md. Abul Kashem Mia, Vice-Chancellor, UIU.

During the concluding session, Dr. Carmen Z. Lamagna, former Vice-Chancellor and Member of the Board of Trustees of AIUB, delivered the Vote of Thanks, bringing the first-ever QS Bangladesh Forum to a close.

The forum ended with a short cultural session presented by the AIUB Art and Performance Club, followed by a grand dinner, providing an opportunity for guests and participants to connect and celebrate the successful conclusion of the landmark event.

The forum served as a significant platform for dialogue among academia, government, international stakeholders and industry on strengthening Bangladesh’s universities through global standards, developing future-ready skills, and accelerating digital transformation in higher education.