East West University

East West University, abbreviated as EWU, is a private research university in Aftab Nagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in 1996 under the Private University Act of 1992.^[4]

It is dedicated to advancing academic research and community engagement.^[5] It has established various centres to support students in developing their entrepreneurial skills and launching their own ventures. The university also operates a range of facilities, including libraries and research centers, to enhance the learning experience.^[6]

East West University was established in 1996 as a non-profit organization. After receiving permission from the government under the Private University Act (Act 34) of 1992, East West University was officially launched in 1996. Classes began in September 1996 with 6 faculty members and 20 students at the campus located at 43 Mohakhali C/A, Dhaka-1212.

The board of trustees is responsible for the governance and strategic direction of the university.^[7]

• Mohammed Farashuddin
• Najma Ahmed
• Nowshad Shamsul Arefin
• Farooque B. Chaudhury
• Rafiqul Huda Chaudhury
• Kona Lasker Haque
• Fariheen Haque
• Muhammad A. Mannan
• Munize Manzur
• Shelley A. Mubdi
• Mansoor Mumin
• Nurun Nahar Rahman
• Shareq Rahman
• Joy Samad
• Md. Nasser Shahrear Zahedee

In addition to the academic structure, EWU provides several support services to enhance the student experience:

• Department of Student Welfare: Focuses on student support and welfare initiatives.
• Library Services: Provides access to academic resources and research materials.
• Medical Centre: Offers health services to students and staff.
• Media Communications and International Affairs: Manages public relations and international collaborations.

East West University has three academic faculties. Each faculty has departments. A dean is the head of each faculty, while departments are headed by chairpersons. The Department of Business Administration is the largest and one of the oldest departments of the university. The Department of Computer Science and the Department of English are the two other founding departments.

EWU offers Bachelor of Arts (BA) for English graduate, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) for Business graduate and Bachelor of Social Science (BSS) for Economics graduate. There are degrees in Business and Economics together in the form of double major. The university offers Bachelor of Science (BSc) for Engineering (e.g., Computer Science, Civil Engineering, EEE, etc.) for Science graduate, Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Phrm.) for Pharmacy graduate, Bachelor of Science in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology and Bachelor of Science in Applied Statistics.^[8]

The BSc in EEE program has been granted accreditation from the Board of Accreditation for Engineering & Technical Education (BAETE). At the post-graduate level EWU offers Master of Business Administration (MBA) for business, Master of Arts (MA) for humanities and Master of Science (MS) for science and engineering, Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) for pharmacy. EWU's B.Pharm. and M.Pharm. programs are accredited by the Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh.

Most degrees from East West University, particularly in business and engineering, are transferable to universities in North America, Europe, and Australasia where formal collaborations exist.

East West University evaluates graduates based on their Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) on a scale of 0 to 4 points.^[9] The university classifies students into three categories based on their earned CGPA:

• First Class: CGPA of 3.00 and above
• Second Class: CGPA between 2.50 and 2.99
• Third Class: CGPA between 2.00 and 2.49

The university offers the following awards to recognize the achievements of its exceptional students^[10]

• Gold Medal: The Chancellor of East West University awards a gold medal to each student who achieves a CGPA of 3.97 or above on the day of convocation.
• Summa Cum Laude: Each undergraduate student with a CGPA of 3.90 or above is awarded the title of summa cum laude by the university, as announced by the convocation marshal on the day of convocation.
• Magna Cum Laude: Each undergraduate student with a CGPA of 3.75 or above is awarded the title of magna cum laude by the university, also announced by the convocation marshal on the day of convocation.

East West University operates on the North American Open Credit system and maintains a tri-semester academic year, with the exception of the Department of Pharmacy, which follows a bi-semester system.^[11]

• Spring Semester: January – June (starting on the third week of January)
• Summer Semester: July – September (starting on the fourth week of July)
• Fall Semester: September – December (starting on the second week of September)

Note: These dates may change due to any changes that occur in the academic calendar provided by East West University Authorities.

East West University offers a variety of scholarships and financial assistance to support students. The university provides merit scholarships that range from full funding to partial tuition waivers. Each semester, the top 10% of students in each batch with a CGPA of 3.97 or above are awarded the EWU Merit Scholarships, valued at 90,000 BDT for undergraduate students and 75,000 BDT for postgraduate students. Additionally, students on the Dean's List are eligible for the Medha Lalon Fund Scholarship, which ranges from 25,000 BDT to 500,000 BDT. The university also offers 28 directorial scholarships each year, valued between 20,000 BDT and 25,000 BDT, for meritorious students with exceptional cases.^[12]

For financial aid, students facing financial difficulties, with a CGPA of 3.7 and above, who have completed at least 30 credits in the last three semesters, can apply once a year for support. The financial aid varies from 18,000 BDT to 35,000 BDT. East West University provides a 50% tuition waiver for one sibling pair studying simultaneously at the university, which is worth around 45,000 BDT per year. The university maintains a low tuition fee rate of 4,900 BDT per credit, which varies by department.^[12]

East West University has established a Resource Center for Research and Training (EWUCRT). The center generates knowledge through academic and applied research and disseminates this knowledge through training and publications. EWUCRT operates under a Research Committee composed of representatives from the Board, Deans, and Chairs of the Academic Departments.

EWUCRT publishes the EWU Journal, a biannual publication featuring research papers. The center also publishes working papers, occasional papers, and Annual Research Abstracts. Faculty members and senior students of the university produce academic papers each year, which are published in various journals and conference proceedings.

Additionally, EWUCRT collaborates with government and private institutions at both national and international levels to facilitate academic exchanges.

In 2002, East West University organized the International Conference on Computer and Information Technology, which is part of a series of conferences focused on Computer Science and Information Technology hosted in Bangladesh since 1997 by different universities each year.^[13] East West University is a member of the Trade Knowledge Network, a collaboration of research institutions in developed and developing countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.^[14] The university is also active in the South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economists (SANDEE).^[15] A.K. Enamul Haque, a professor of economics, serves as a member of the board of SANDEE and acts as an academic advisor to SANDEE researchers.^[16]

In 2006, faculty members from East West University had 39 appearances in international journals and conferences.^[17] Furthermore, the university provides financial support through a faculty research program to promote a research culture on campus.^[18]

In 2025, according to the QS World University Rankings, East West University is ranked between 1401 and 1500 globally.^[19] In 2020, EWU was ranked 3549 in the world and 14th among the 166 universities in Bangladesh by the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities. This ranking is based on the university's web presence and visibility.^[20]

According to the IDEAS ranking of Economic Research Institutions in Bangladesh, the Department of Economics at East West University has consistently ranked 1st in the country since 2014. The IDEAS database includes information on 13,177 economics institutions, 43,324 authors, and over 1,046,994 research publications across 94 fields.^[21]

In May 2012, the university moved to its permanent campus. The permanent campus of East West University is located at A/2, Jahurul Islam Avenue, Jahurul Islam City, Aftabnagar, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh, on Pragati Sarani, close to Bangladesh Television, and spans 7.4 bighas of land. The total floor area of the nine-story university complex is 458,957.04 square feet, featuring modern facilities.

East West University has a library covering approximately 11,000 square feet in the new campus, featuring a maps and journal area, a photocopy corner, a database search corner, and a newspaper display section. Each day, around 2,200 users visit the library. The library contains 22,000 books, subscriptions to 135 international and national journals (in hardcopy), access to 3,300 online journals in its database, subscriptions to 16 national daily newspapers, and approximately 1,500 CD-ROMs and audio cassettes^[22]

East West University hosts a diverse range of laboratories across engineering and science disciplines, including nine specialized computer laboratories. These computer labs are equipped with a local network comprising approximately 600 PCs and personal VSAT services, enhancing the learning and research capabilities for students.^[23][24]

• Rubana Huq is a Bangladeshi businesswoman, academic and was featured in the BBC 100 Women list.^[25]
• Afran Nisho is a Bangladeshi actor, story writer, and playback singer.
• Sadia Ayman is a Bangladeshi actress known for her work in television dramas and Dhallywood cinema.^[26]
• Redoan Rony is a Bangladeshi film director and CEO of Chorki and won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Dialogue for his debut film, Chorabali.
• Rifat Nabi is a Bangladeshi software engineer and co-founder of Avro Keyboard. He received the Ekushey Padak on 20 February 2025, along with Mehdi Hasan Khan as part of the Avro team.^{[27][28][29][30]}

• Salimullah Khan is a Bangladeshi writer and academic known for his exploration of politics and culture through Marxist and Lacanian theories.
• Tonima Hamid is a Bangladeshi model, actress, and teacher from Mymensingh, Bangladesh.^[31]

• Education in Bangladesh
• Universities in Bangladesh
• List of universities in Bangladesh

• Akareem, Husain Salilul; Hossain, Syed Shahadat (28 August 2012), Perception of education quality in private universities of Bangladesh: a study from students' perspective{{citation}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

• Media related to East West University (Bangladesh) at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website
• Times Higher Education
• Webometrics Global Position
• QS World University Rankings