National University to go paperless by 2027

National University aims to become fully paperless by 2027, with all university activities conducted online and necessary information stored digitally, Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr ASM Amanullah said on Tuesday.

He made the remarks while addressing the National University Scholarship and Vice-Chancellor Award ceremony at the International Mother Language Institute auditorium in Dhaka.

“We have a major goal of turning National University into a paperless university by 2027. All activities of the university will be conducted online and necessary information will be stored digitally. There will be no need for printouts.”

A large amount of paper is currently used and discarded every day for various university activities, the vice-chancellor said. Moving to a digital system would reduce paper consumption as well as carbon emissions, he added.

Prof Amanullah said the National University campus had already been made cashless, with only a few areas still requiring cash payments.

“Cash transactions still exist in a few areas, but those will also be completely stopped within the next few days. Through this, we are building a fully cashless ecosystem.”

Digital automation in examinations

The vice-chancellor also highlighted progress in the digital automation of the university’s examination system.

“If an examination starts at 10am, we can know by 10:15am how many students have taken the exam and how many are absent.”

He said the university had conducted examinations for around 4 million students since the current administration took charge, including 1.6 million students over the past seven months.

National University is also working to publish examination results more quickly, he said.

An Oxford Assessment Authority delegation is scheduled to visit the university on October 1 to review its examination system, according to the vice-chancellor.

“If this system can be implemented, it will be possible to publish the results of any public examination within two weeks.”

Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon attended the programme as the chief guest. Secondary and Higher Education Division Secretary Abdul Khaleq was present as a special guest.

National University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Lutfur Rahman, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Treasurer Prof Dr Md Nazmul Hossain and others were also present.