BRAC University brought together students, researchers, academics and technology professionals for its “CSE Research Day 2026”, an event focused on the growing intersection of computing research, industry applications and interdisciplinary innovation.
The programme, organised by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) on June 19 at the university’s Merul Badda campus in Dhaka, explored how computer science research can address practical challenges across multiple sectors while helping students understand emerging research opportunities and industry expectations, the university said in a press release.
The day-long event featured panel discussions, expert sessions and workshops covering a broad range of fields, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, bioinformatics, usable security, privacy, computer vision, image processing, robotics, blockchain, quantum computing, human-computer interaction and information and communication technology for development.
The programme opened with a discussion on interdisciplinary research, where speakers examined how computing tools and methodologies can support work in public health, biotechnology, engineering and other disciplines.
Participants also discussed the importance of collaboration across academic fields in addressing increasingly complex scientific and technological challenges.
A separate session on projects, internships and software engineering focused on the requirements of the software industry. Faculty members and industry professionals discussed software development practices, internship opportunities and ways students can strengthen academic projects to make them more relevant to employers.
The discussion also highlighted the role of problem-solving and engineering-based thinking in preparing students for professional careers.
Additional sessions introduced participants to ongoing research in language technologies, biological data analysis, healthcare innovation, human-centred security and privacy. Topics including intelligent visual systems, autonomous technologies, secure computing, blockchain and quantum computing were also explored.
An interactive workshop under the human-computer interaction and ICT for development track encouraged students to identify real-world challenges, develop research concepts and consider how those ideas could be transformed into practical projects.
The final academic session focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning, examining current research trends and the expanding role of AI across different sectors.
At the closing ceremony, attended by Registrar Dr David Dowland, the university presented the “Best Thesis Award 2025” in recognition of outstanding undergraduate research. The award was designed to encourage students to pursue research that can contribute to society.
Among those contributing to the event were Associate Professor Dr Sadia Hamid Kazi, Chairperson of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering; Dr Malay Kanti Mridha, Professor at the BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health and Director of the Central Research and Innovation Office; and Dr Swakkhar Shatabda, Professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Deputy Director of the Institutional Quality Assurance Cell.
Professor Dr Taiabul Haque, Professor Dr Farida Chowdhury, Professor Dr Md Sadek Ferdous, Associate Professor Muhammad Iqbal Hossain and Associate Professor Dr Farig Yousuf Sadeque also participated.
Industry representatives included Habib Al Saki, Project Manager at Grameenphone; Zobayer Hasan, Senior Solution Architect at TigerIT Bangladesh Ltd; and Ariful Islam, Senior Software Engineer at Brain Station 23 Plc.
The university said in a press release that the event provided a platform for students to engage with researchers and industry experts while exploring how academic research can contribute to technological advancement and real-world problem-solving.
