The Epistemics of Philanthropy: Reflecting on the Role of ‘Giving’ in Research

Greetings from the Department of English!

We are excited to share that the Department of English, Green University of Bangladesh, organized a thought-provoking talk on “The Epistemics of Philanthropy: Reflecting on the Role of ‘Giving’ in Research” by Dr. Obaidul Hamid, Associate Professor of TESOL Education at the University of Queensland, Australia. The event took place on July 11, 2024, at 3:30 PM at the Syndicate (Room no. 409).

Dr. Obaidul Hamid, a distinguished academic whose research focuses on TESOL policy and practice in developing societies, shared his vast expertise with the attendees. He is also a co-editor of Current Issues in Language Planning and serves on the editorial boards of several academic journals. Dr. Hamid is the co-editor of the upcoming book Language and Sustainable Development: Policies, Practices, and Perceptions in Bangladesh (Routledge, in press) and writes a regular column on language, education, and society for the Dhaka-based English daily New Age.

The program began with a warm welcome speech by Dr. Md. Elham Hossain, Associate Professor, Department of English, Green University of Bangladesh.

Following the welcome, Dr. Hamid delivered a captivating talk on the topic of “The Epistemics of Philanthropy”. Drawing on his involvement in an international research project titled “Beyond Global Discourses of Data: Storying Data in Schools”, currently underway in Australia, Bangladesh, England, and Singapore, Dr. Hamid shared insights into research as an act of ‘giving’. He discussed how researchers contribute to the community and how the act of ‘giving’ is central to international research collaborations. Additionally, Dr. Hamid emphasized the generosity of research participants and how this shapes the outcomes of social research.

The event was honored by the presence of our Chief Guest, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Shorif Uddin, Vice Chancellor, Green University of Bangladesh, who underscored the importance of research in promoting outcome-based education. He also encouraged the department to continue organizing such enriching programs.

We were also pleased to have our Special Guest, Prof. Dr. Khawza Iftekhar Uddin Ahmed, Pro Vice Chancellor, Green University of Bangladesh, who spoke about the significance of collaborative research and motivated faculty members and students to pursue international collaborations.

The session was presided over by Prof. Dr. M. Shahidullah, Dean (Acting), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and Chairperson, Department of English. Prof. Dr. Shahidullah reflected on the importance of collaborative research and thanked Dr. Hamid for sharing his valuable insights on this topic.

The event concluded with Dr. Shahidullah’s concluding remarks, expressing gratitude to Dr. Hamid for his enlightening talk and to the organizers for ensuring the success of the program.