Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) hosted an academic motivational session titled “The Power of Curious Minds in the Age of AI” on May 18, 2026, at the DMK Lecture Gallery, featuring Prof. Dr. Akhlaque Haque from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA. The session was organized by the Outreach, Extension and Continuing Education (OECE) unit under the Office of the Pro-Vice Chancellor

Dr. Haque is Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and President of the South Asian Network for Public Administration (SANPA). His keynote speech focused on curiosity, critical thinking, creativity, and ethical judgment in the context of artificial intelligence.

Prof. Haque discussed the importance of independent thinking, questioning, and problem-solving in an environment that is increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence. He encouraged students to move beyond rote learning and engage with practical and social challenges through research, innovation, and analytical thinking.

Using examples from healthcare, technology, governance, and public policy, Dr. Haque described artificial intelligence as a tool that can support human capability and decision-making. He also discussed the role of students and researchers from Bangladesh in addressing issues related to climate change, urbanization, digital inequality, and ethics in technology.

More than 40 students and 20 faculty and administrative staff members from different departments and offices attended the session. Prof. Dr. Daniel W. Lund, Pro-Vice Chancellor of IUB; Ambassador (Retd.) Tariq A. Karim, Advisor to the Centre for Bengal Studies; Asif Parvez, Registrar, and Md. Shahajada Masud Anowarul Haque, Librarian, were present at the program.

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