Keynote Speaker

Governance Education Nexus for Sustainable Environment

Dr. Subrata K. Mitra

Prof. Subrata K. Mitra, Ph.D. (Rochester), Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Heidelberg University, Germany and Adjunct Professor at Dublin City University (DCU), Dublin, Ireland was the Head of Department of Political Science, (1994-2014), South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University. He has been a visiting professor at Tsinghua University (Beijing), University of California, (Berkeley), National University of Singapore (Singapore), University of Nottingham (UK), University of Paris (France), Central University, Hyderabad (India), Quaid-i-Azam University (Islamabad/Pakistan) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (Delhi). Indian and Comparative politics, rational choice, governance, citizenship, political theory and foreign policy are among his main interests. His recent books include The 2019 Parliamentary Elections in India: Democracy at Crossroads? (Routledge, 2022), Governance by Stealth: The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Making of the Indian State (Delhi: OUP; 2021), Politics in India: Structure, Process, Policy (London: Routledge, 2017, second edition);  Kautilya’s Arthashastra: An Intellectual Biography – the Classical Roots of Modern Politics in India (2017); Citizenship and the Flow of Ideas (2012); Reuse: The Art and Politics of Integration and Anxiety (2012);  When Rebels become Stakeholders (2009); the Puzzle of India’s Governance (2005). and India: Statecraft and foreign policy (Dublin City University Press: forthcoming).

Dr. Anja Heikkinen

Dr. Anja Heikkinen is a Professor of Education in the Faculty of Education and Culture of Tampere University in Finland (https://equjust.wordpress.com/). During her career she has been working as a teacher of mathematics, sciences and philosophy in gymnasia, vocational college and folk high school, as a planner and a chief of educational affairs in state and municipal administration, and as a lecturer and professor in fields of vocational, adult and general education in universities of Jyväskylä and Tampere, besides as a visiting scholar in number of universities in Europe and elsewhere. She has been initiating networks and collaborative projects of historical, cross-cultural and gender-critical research and studies in vocational and adult education across all continents, as well as acting a convener and steering committee member in national and European research associations, such as the European Educational Research Association and the European Society for the Research on Education of Adults. In all her actions, she has promoted dialogue and collaboration between researchers, practitioners and policymakers in tackling the problems of participation, equality and justice through adult, vocational and higher education. Lately, she has been occupied with initiatives to open universities to the urgent and intertwined challenges of rapidly increasing forced migration, social and economic inequalities and environmental degradation. Her mission is to transform the university into a societally and environmentally responsive community, where studies and research are integrated into a transformative action, which promotes equality, justice and well-being of the human and non-human inhabitants on the planet earth. Some of these ideas are included in her recent publications, such as Disciplinary Struggles in Education (https://trepo.tuni.fi//handle/10024/115765), Myths and Brands in Vocational Education (https://www.cambridgescholars.com/myths-and-brands-in-vocational-education) and Adult Education and the Planetary Condition (https://issuu.com/svv-ohjelma/docs/adult_educ_planetary_cond_2016).

 Dr. Xiaochun QIAO

Dr. Xiaochun QIAOXiaochun Qiao is a professor at the Institute of Population Research, Peking University, vice president of China Population Association (CPA), the pioneer member of International Network of HealthExpectancy and Disability Process (REVES), vice president of International Commission of HistoricalDemography (ICHD), and editor-in-chief of the Journal of China Population and Development Studies(CPDS). He got B.S.in Computational Mathematics at Liaoning University in 1982, and then started working at the population census office of Liaoning Province. He got both master and PhD degrees in demography at Renmin University of China in 1987 and 1994, respectively, and conducted post-doc research and to be research associate at Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA from 1999 to 2001. He was an overseas fellow at the Institute of Developing Economy, Japan External Trade Organization, Japan in 2003, and visiting professor of Department of Sociology at University of Waterloo, Canada in 2008. He served as editor-in-chief of the leading journal of Population Research (in Chinese) from 1994 to 1999 and executive editor-in-chief of Journal of Population and Development from 2006 to 2020. He was a council member of IPPF at Asia and Oceania, and was invited by UN, UNFPA, and WHO as advisors. His research interests focus on population policy, population Aging, Health Expectancy, PopulationCensus, Population Projection, and Quantitative Methods for Social Sciences. He has published more than two hundred articles and fifteen books in both English and Chinese.

Dr. Golam M. Mathbor

Professor Mathbor is a tenured Full Professor and Program Director, Doctor of Social Work (DSW) in Human Rights Leadership effective from July 1, 2022 in the School of Social Work at Monmouth University, New Jersey, USA. Prior to that Professor Mathbor served as Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Monmouth University from 2006-2014. He is the founding chair of the Department of Philosophy, Religion, and Interdisciplinary Studies. He also served as the president of the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies (AIBS). Along with that, he served as a Commissioner of the Global Social Work Education Commission of the US Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Dr. Mathbor successfully organized, chaired, and delivered the keynote address for a national conference on "Strategic Management and Effective Leadership in Higher Education" co-hosted by the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies and the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. His experience includes serving as a Member of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Commission on Global Social Work Education Commission of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE, the accreditation agency for 900 social work educational programs in 800 universities), USA. Additionally, he is serving as an alternate advisor member of the National Executive board of Phi Eta Sigma National Freshman Honor Society in the USA. Professor Golam Mathbor studied at the Simon Center for Professional Military Ethic from October 16-20, 2011 at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. He is the author of Effective Community Participation in Coastal Development (ISBN 978-1-933478-54-8). His academic background started with his BSS (Bachelor of Social Science), MSS (Masters of Social Science) and an LL.B (Bachelor of Law) degree from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, then he obtained his second masters MSW (Master of Social Work) from McGill University, Canada; and a Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) degree in Social Policy Analysis from the Faculty of Social Work of The University of Calgary, Canada. Dr. Golam M. Mathbor is an alumnus of the world-famous Harvard University Management Development Program (MDP).

Dr Sharif As-Saber

 Dr Sharif As-Saber is a senior academic with experience and expertise in Governance and International Business. He is the Founding Director of Master of International Business Program at RMIT University Melbourne. Previously, he held several academic administrative positions including the Head of Geopolitics, Business and Government Research Cluster and Deputy Head (Research & Innovation) at the School of Management, RMIT University (2010-2013), Founding Director, MPhil (Industry) Program at Monash University (2008-2010), Director, International Business Program at Monash University (2001-2004); Sub- Dean (International Business) at the University of Tasmania (1999-2001); and International Business Program Manager at Massey University, New Zealand (1998-1999). Prior entering the academia, he served as a member of the Bangladesh Civil Service (Administration Cadre) and worked in various capacities between 1983 and 1997. He earned his PhD in international and comparative management from the University of Tasmania. His PhD research dealt with Australian joint ventures in India. He also holds academic qualifications such as BSocSc (Honours) (International Relations), LL.B, MSocSc (International Relations) from the University of Dhaka and an MBA (International Business) from Monash University, Australia. In 2000, he completed a faculty development program in International Business Law and Ethics at the University of Colorado at Denver. He has published six books, written extensively in refereed journals and presented in leading international conferences. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Administration & Governance and serves on the editorial boards of Electronic Government and Society & Change. Previously, he served as the Editor of the Journal of Administration & Diplomacy (1994-95). He organised several conferences, workshops and research colloquiums and acted as the stream chair of a number of international conferences. Previously, he served as the elected Chairperson of the Asia Pacific region, Network of Asia Pacific Schools and Institutes of Public Administration & Governance (NAPSIPAG) between 2008 and 2013. In both 2012 and 2013, RMIT University officially awarded him with certificates of excellence as one of its top media performers. He authored the Roadmap for the RMG industry in Bangladesh. In 2016, he received the “Serendib Multicultural Personality of the Year” award for his contributions to the multicultural community in Australia.

 
 Dr.  M. Rezaul Islam

Dr. M. Rezaul Islam is currently a Director of the Institutional Quality Assurance Cell ( IQAC), University of Dhaka, and Professor of Social Work at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. He hold a Ph.D. in Social Sciences (Development Policies) and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Nottingham, England. With 28 years of professional experience, he has contributed internationally to teaching, research, and public speaking at prestigious institutions. His research and teaching interests adopt a multidisciplinary approach to the social sciences, supported by an extensive publication record. In recognition of his academic contributions, he has been ranked 52nd worldwide in the latest 2024 Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% Scientist Rankings for the Social Work subfield. Dr Islam serves on the International Advisory Board of the Community Development Journal and hold editorial positions with Asian Social Work and Policy Review, Local Development & Society, International Journal of Community Well-being, and SN Social Sciences.

Dr. Mohammad Mainul Islam

Dr. Mohammad Mainul Islam is a professor and former Chairman of the Department of Population Sciences of the University of Dhaka. He received his Ph.D. in Demography from Peking University, China. He later completed a Global Health Research Capacity Strengthening Program Postdoctoral Fellowship at McGill University, Canada. He got his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Sociology from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Dr. Islam also got training at the Johns Hopkins Fall Institute in Barcelona, Stanford University, the University of Laval, the University of Quebec at Montreal, Brown University, and the University of Bergen. He received the First Prize of Academic Excellence Award 2008 from Peking University. Later he was named the Nick Simons Scholar of the New Investigator in Global Health program of the Global Health Council, USA, in 2010. He is a two-time winner of the New Voices in Global Health program, receiving these accolades in 2014 and 2016 at the World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany. He presented his research at more than a hundred international and academic conferences worldwide. He has contributed to over 70 peer-reviewed publications, including the first author in The Lancet, Lancet Global Health, Lancet Regional Health-Western Pacific, PLOS ONE, BMC Women's Health, and Journal of Population and Social Studies. Recently he co-authored an International Population Report-Asia Aging: Demographic, Economic, and Health Transitions, U.S. Government Publishing Office, Washington, DC, June 2022, U.S. Census Bureau.Currently, he is a Member of the Scientific Group- ‘Changing Household Structure, Aging, and Well-being in Western and Southern Asia’ of the Asian Population Association (APA) between 2022 and 2024. His work broadly focuses on population and development, reproductive health, and global health. He is a contributor and one of the editors of the Report on Bangladesh Population Situation Analysis (PSA)-2019 under UNFPA 9^th Country Programme in Bangladesh. He was a member of the research teamof various studies of the Dept. of Population Sciences funded by the UNFPA and the E.U. like Gender-Biased Sex Selection in Bangladesh: Exploring Causes and Consequences; Study on Context of Child Marriage in Bangladesh, and Study on Elderly Population in Bangladesh. He held the position of elected Member of the Syndicate–the highest decision-making body of the University of Dhaka for two consecutive terms between 2010 and 2014. Dr. Islam frequently contributes to the national print and electronic media on population and development issues.