University World News, 16 December 2012
The Asian University for Women (AUW) in
Bangladesh has been through a rocky period in its short history. But its new
vice-chancellor hopes to put the university on track to do what it set out to
achieve – enable more women from all backgrounds, including the poorest, to
obtain a high quality university education.
Vice-chancellor Fahima Aziz was appointed
four months ago after a seven-month search for a new university head in the
wake of damaging reports of internal management disputes.
When her appointment announcement was made
in April, she said: "I am drawn to AUW because of its mission to educate
women for lives of leadership and service. I am a passionate supporter of
women's education and educational access in general. AUW embodies all of these
values.”
However, she comes after a difficult time
for the private university.
Aziz is the fourth vice-chancellor to be
appointed in as many years at the institution that was set up in 2008 and has
many prominent supporters, including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Its
current chancellor is Cherie Blair, wife of former British prime minister Tony
Blair.
The university has seen many faculty
firings and resignations in the past year, and allegations of poor governance
were made in Bangladesh’s English-language newspaper New Age, which carried out
a lengthy investigation into the university’s management.
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