DU holds meeting on introducing ‘ethics and human values’ course

Dhaka University has held a consultation meeting on introducing a course on ethics and human values, along with organising related workshops, aimed at encouraging ethical conduct and humanitarian values among students.

The meeting was held at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building auditorium on Monday afternoon, with the participation of deans of various faculties, department chairs, institute directors and departmental student advisers.

According to a press release issued by the university’s public relations office on Monday, the meeting emphasised the importance of integrating ethics and human values with academic excellence to help build an enlightened and responsible nation.

The release further said various proposals submitted by the committee on ethics and human values education were presented at the meeting.

It was decided that the recommendations emerging from the consultation would be considered while finalising the committee’s future action plan, the release added.

According to the media release, participants discussed the feasibility of introducing a course titled ‘Ethics and Human Values Education’ for first-year undergraduate students of all departments and institutes from the 2025–26 academic year.

The meeting also adopted an action plan to organise workshops on ethics and human values for existing students at the fourth-year (honours) and master’s levels across all departments and institutes, starting from the same academic year.

The meeting was chaired by Dhaka University pro-vice-chancellor (education) professor Mamun Ahmed, who also serves as convener of the committee on ethics and human values education.

Other committee members include Philosophy department chair Mohammad Nuruzzaman, director of the Centre for Moral Development professor AKM Yunus, Philosophy professor Shah Kawthar Mustafa Abululayee, Institute of Education and Research professor Mohammad Ali Zinnah, Institute of Business Administration professor Shakila Yasmin, associate professor of Mass Communication and Journalism Khorshed Alam, and lecturer of Graphic Design Mir Muhammad Abdullah Al Mamun Ali.

The press release further said that two separate committees were formed, in line with a decision of the university syndicate, to introduce the ethics and human values course and to organise workshops.

Both committees, headed by professor Mamun Ahmed, have been working on the initiative for several months.