BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health Marks 20 Years of Excellence in Public Health

The BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health (BRAC JPGSPH), BRAC University, celebrated its 20th anniversary today (12 December 2024) at The Westin Hotels and Resorts, Gulshan-2, Dhaka. The day-long event brought together distinguished global public health leaders, academics, and experts to celebrate two decades of impactful education, training, research, and advocacy. The experts, academics honored the School’s contributions over two decades and envisioned the future of public health education and impact.

The event opened with a warm welcome by Dr Laura Reichenbach, Dean of BRAC JPGSPH and Director of the Centre of Excellence for Science of Implementation & Scale-Up (CoE-SISU).

“Over the last 20 years, we have grounded our work across education, training, research, and impact, empowering professionals, informing policies, and fostering community-driven solutions to tackle pressing public health challenges.,” said Dr Laura Reichenbach, Dean of BRAC JPGSPH, during her opening speech.

This was followed by a keynote address by Dr. Sabina Faiz Rashid, Mushtaque Chowdhury Chair in Health and Poverty, highlighting the transformative journey of the School over the past 20 years.

The program featured remarks from Professor Dr Syed Ferhat Anwar, Vice Chancellor of BRAC University, and Tamara Hasan Abed, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, BRAC University. A special video message from Dr. Jon E. Rohde, Senior Lown Scholar at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, added to the celebrations.

“BRAC JPGSPH is redesigning the global landscape of public health, justice, and equity. We acknowledge the school’s invaluable contributions to the well-being of the communities, both nationally and globally, through its impactful research and advocacy efforts,” Dr Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor, said in the Address of the Chief Guest.

Two expert panels addressed the key challenges and opportunities in public health education and research.

The panel titled “Public Health Research and Future Needs” was Moderated by Dr Laura Reichenbach, with panellists Professor Dr Kaosar Afsana, Professor Timothy Evans, Sara Hossain, and Asif Saleh. As the discussant Julia Roberts, CEO of BRAC USA was present.

“The challenges in our health systems, including high out-of-pocket expenses, shifting disease patterns, and climate change, are immense. Public health research and programs must move beyond silos to adopt a multidisciplinary approach. We need systems that are not only capable of tackling health emergencies but are also accountable and inclusive,” Asif Saleh, Executive Director of BRAC, expressed during the panel discussion.

Another panel titled “Public Health Education: Adapting to Meet Emerging Public Health Challenges” was moderated by Professor Dr Malay Kanti Mridha, Deputy Dean of the School. This session included Professor Dr Syed Masud Ahmed, Professor Dr Samia Huq, and Professor Dr Dipak Kumar Mitra, with renowned public health expert Dr. Lincoln C. Chen as the discussant.

“The school upholds Sir Fazle Hasan Abed’s vision and commitment to advancing public health education through community-centered experiential learning. I hope BRAC JPGSPH continues to inspire and shape the future of public health education in Bangladesh and across the region” Dr Lincoln C. Chen, Former President of China Medical Board, expressed as a discussant during the panel.

The 20-year celebration was a testament to BRAC JPGSPH’s unwavering commitment to addressing critical health challenges, building capacity, and driving transformative research to improve lives globally.