A Fulbright Visiting Scholar from the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh is spending the spring 2020 semester in the School of Business at Emporia State University.
Dr. Md. Rakibul Hoque has experience teaching postgraduate and undergraduate level courses such as Database Management, Information Technology Strategy, and Operations Management as associate professor in the Department of Management Information Systems at the University of Dhaka.
In addition to his experience as a professor, Hoque has a unique educational background. His three postgraduate degrees, including a Ph.D. in Management Science and Engineering, master of science focusing on Management and Information Systems: Change and Development, and master of business administration will serve as a valuable resource for ESU students and faculty.
The Fulbright Program is one of several cultural exchange programs whose goal is to improve intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of the United States and other countries through the exchange of persons, knowledge, and skills. Through the program, competitively selected individuals including students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists, and artists receive scholarships or grants to study, conduct research, teach, or exercise their talents abroad.
“We are very excited to have Dr. Hoque join our team here at ESU,” said Dr. Ed Bashaw, dean of ESU’s School of Business. “Dr. Hoque has already been meeting and working with myself and other faculty on various research groups and projects. Having Dr. Hoque with us will be great for our long-term relationship with the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh, and I am eager to see how our collaboration can benefit both parties.”
Hoque’s visit to Emporia State is a testament to the ongoing relationship ESU has with the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh. Although he could have gone to many other universities in the United States, Hoque chose Emporia State because of the good relationship he already had with ESU.
Bashaw has visited the University of Dhaka twice; once in May 2019 and the other in October 2019. During his visits, Bashaw made connections and sparked an interest in students and faculty to learn more about Emporia State. In January 2020, Emporia State welcomed 22 MBA students and two faculty members from the University of Dhaka for a Management Essentials for Executives training program taught by faculty across campus.
As a Fulbright Scholar, one of the many goals Hoque has for himself during his time at Emporia State is to partner with ESU faculty, conduct research, and publish in top journals and conference proceedings. Because access to top journals is much costlier in Bangladesh, Hoque hopes he can capitalize on his time at ESU to achieve this goal. In addition to his professional research goals, Hoque hopes to continue to build relationships with people in the United States, specifically at ESU, and to learn from the culture and academic practices which he would eventually bring back to Bangladesh.
In the future, both Hoque and Bashaw hope to continue the collaboration between ESU and the University of Dhaka through joint research, joint teaching and student exchanges.