Bangladesh’s Moazzem best teacher in Australian university

Moazzem Hossain had a fear of maths. He even failed a math test way back in Class IX. His father, a school headmaster, scolded him for this. The stubborn ninth-grader started practising maths with double dedication. In his words it was, ‘practice, practice and practice.’ That scolding might have turned his life around. And he did well not just in maths but also in the SSC examination.

Since then, there had been no looking back for Moazzem.

He is now a teacher of a famous Australian university. Not only that, he has also achieved the honour of becoming the best teacher on several occasions.

Moazzem, an assistant professor of Murdoch University’s Sustainability Accounting and Governance, won the best teacher award of Murdoch Business School in 2016, 2018 and 2019 for his teaching style and industry oriented learning approach.

He received the university’s Research Excellence Award in 2018. This year, he bagged the prestigious PVC (pro vice chancellor) Award for Excellence in Teaching 2020.

The best teacher of an Australian university is picked through students’ direct evaluation. Moazzem said, “My students love me a lot possibly for my techniques. They call me an expert in engaging students with their future professions, using padlets in teaching and more.”

He was talking to Prothom Alo over the phone recently.

Moazzem thinks his biggest achievement is his ability of being a teacher, not the awards.

“A teacher can change one’s life. My biggest success is that I can work as a teacher. I have students of more than 57 nationalities currently in my class. I work with their skill development. Completing their graduation, my students spread out throughout the world and do well for themselves and their countries. I’m lucky I have the opportunity to guide them. That is my achievement,” he said.

Moazzem never wants to tie his students to their text-books.

“Going beyond the text-books, I encourage my students to learn so that their academic life can help them in their future career, so that they can prepare themselves for the global market,” he told Prothom Alo.

The students of Murdoch University’s Business School are often seen organising farewell parties in Moazzem’s classes.

“My students celebrate after I complete a semester. Some of them bring pizzas while some others give me flowers. This is something which is rare in Australia,” he said.

“Once a student emailed me saying I’ve changed his life entirely. These are the things that make my teaching life in Australia meaningful,” he added.

Moazzem, who supervises PhD students of Murdoch University, thinks student-teacher relationship should not be confined to the classroom.

“I still receive emails from my former students who are now established. Many of them have become teachers, too. I try to help them,” he said.

“I’m a dreamer and try to make my students dream. I encourage them to pursue their dreams. That is my aim as a teacher,” he added.

According to Moazzem, the PVC award that he recently received will encourage him to take part in the next Australian Award for University Teaching (AAUT). AAUT is a competition for becoming the best teacher in Australia. The teachers of around 42 Australian universities participate in it.

Apart from being a teacher, Moazzem is a professional Chartered Accountant (CA from Australia), Certified Practising Accountant (CPA from Australia), Certified Management Accountant (CMA from Australia), a Member of Institute of Public Accountants of Australia (MIPA) and Associate of Financial Accountant (AFA from UK).

Born in a village of Madaripur’s Kalkini upazila, Moazzem’s journey was not an easy one.

His results were good in the SSC exam. And in HSC, he grabbed the 16th position in the Business Studies group from Dhaka College.

Graduating from Dhaka University’s accounting department with a First Class, Moazzem went to Australia in 2006 and did his PhD from the famous Curtin University.

Before that, he used to teach for Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology’s accounting and business department.

Does he still fear maths? Moazzem said, “Not any more. I believe if anyone remains persistent, success is a must. I often tell my students this.”