Photo: NU

DHAKA, Aug 6, 2026 (BSS) - National University (NU) Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr ASM Amanullah today announced full-funded scholarships for students from SAARC member countries, with special emphasis on providing free higher education opportunities to students from Nepal.

He made the announcement while addressing the international conference titled "Applied Psychology: Behavioural Science Advancement" at the National College in Dhumbarahi, Kathmandu, Nepal, according to a press release received here.

The NU Vice-Chancellor said the initiative would open a new horizon for education, research and cultural exchange while strengthening higher education cooperation across South Asia.

Highlighting the university's role in higher education, he said the National University, with nearly four million students and more than 2,500 affiliated colleges, offers programmes in around 50 disciplines, including psychology.

Referring to the post-July-August mass uprising period, Dr Amanullah said many students had experienced psychological trauma, making international cooperation, effective counselling services and the development of skilled psychologists an urgent necessity.

He said the country currently has only around 300 psychologists against an estimated requirement of 30,000 and stressed the need to introduce counselling services at colleges and universities in phases.

The Vice-Chancellor also said the university had signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with several international universities and would soon organise an international conference on mental health with global experts.

He called upon Kathmandu University and other higher education institutions in Nepal to take advantage of the scholarship opportunities announced for students from SAARC countries and expressed hope that education and research cooperation between Bangladesh and Nepal would expand further.

SAARC Secretary General Ambassador Golam Sarwar, Bangladesh Ambassador to Nepal Md Shafiqul Rahman, Kathmandu University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Achyut Wagle, National University Director of the Department of Physical Education and Culture Mohammad Shafiul Karim, and academics, researchers and psychologists from different countries attended the conference.