New delhi: The South Asian University (SAU), a flagship initiative under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), held its thirteenth governing board meeting in a virtual format. The meeting saw the participation of representatives from the governing boards of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, as well as a representative from the SAARC secretariat and office bearers of SAU.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Ahmed Shafeeu, the Minister of State for Higher Education from the Government of Maldives, presided over the meeting and officially called it to order, as noted in a SAARC Secretariat press release. During the meeting, the governing board reviewed the proposed budget for the upcoming year, focusing on resource allocation and financial planning to support the University’s growth.
Members stressed the importance of releasing outstanding contributions from Member States to ensure the smooth functioning of SAU. Prof Aggarwal, the President of SAU, presented his report detailing the initiatives undertaken since he assumed office and shared his reform agenda for the years ahead. He highlighted the constraints that may affect implementation but reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the University’s academic profile and its role in regional cooperation.
The governing board also discussed future priorities, emphasizing the expansion of academic programmes and reinforcing SAU’s role as a hub for regional collaboration. It was decided that the Chairmanship for the next Governing Board Meeting will be passed to the Government of Sri Lanka.
As a Centre of Excellence under SAARC, SAU continues to serve as a hub for learning, research, and creativity for South Asian citizens. The University, with its five faculties and seven departments, offers Master’s and PhD programmes to approximately 1500 students, supported by 70 faculty members from the region and beyond. Since its inception, SAU has educated nearly 2300 students and research fellows, contributing significantly to knowledge generation and fostering people-to-people connectivity in the region.