Aga Khan Academy to enter final phase, with construction begins this year
The Academy in Dhaka will eventually be part of a network of 18 centres of educational excellence in a total of 14 countries across Africa, Central and South Asia and the Middle East.
The Aga Khan laid a foundation stone for Bangladesh’s first Aga Khan Academy on May 20, 2008, during his Dhaka visit.
The schools will use the International Baccalaureate curriculum and admit students on the basis of their academic potential rather than their ability to pay.
Located on a 20-acre plot in Bashundhara, Dhaka, the Aga Khan Academy will initially enrol 750 students in K–12 classes. It eventually plans to expand to 1,200 at peak capacity.
The AKDN said they informed their plan to start the construction work to the government on Tuesday in a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A delegation met Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque and Secondary and Higher Education Secretary Sohorab Hossain on Tuesday.
More...
https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2018/01 ... -this-year
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Aga Khan Academy opening in Dhaka
It’ll act as regional hub for academic innovation
Dhaka, Jan 24 (UNB) – Amid the changing nature of knowledge and information, students must prepare themselves to keep on learning and become “effective and ethical” leaders to overcome challenges ahead, says an expert.
“If you have the capacity to keep on learning, you will be in a very good position both from economic point of view and also as a human being,” Aga Khan Development Network Director of Academies Salim Bhatia told UNB.
Bhatia who is responsible for leading the establishment of the Aga Khan Academies across Africa, Middle East, Central and South Asia, said the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka, is being established here to provide international standard education for students and prepare them for leadership roles in Bangladesh and across the world.
He said Bangladeshi young talented students, regardless of their socio-economic background, gender, race or religion, can access a world-class education.
“We will provide hundred percent support for the poor and marginalized students who are talented,” he said.
Asked about quality of education in Bangladesh, Bhatia said, “It would not be fair to make a judgment. What I would say is that Bangladesh has done a great job of making basic education available to such a large percentage of population.”
He said, definitely there is something positive but the “quality of thinking is more important that what we know.”
Asked why some young talented people are getting involved in terrorism, Bhatia, a former chairman of the North Carolina Electronic and Information Industries Association, did not want to get into this sensitive issue.
Bhatia, however, laid emphasis on ‘broad-based liberal education with an understanding of differences and tolerance” to remain on track without indulging in dangerous path.
He said the Aga Khan Academy will be located on a 20-acre of land in Bashundhara and will enroll 750 students with a capacity to expand to 1200.
The Academy will be part of an integrated network of world-class schools of Aga Khan Academies offering an international standard of education to promising students from pre-primary to secondary levels, located across 14 countries regardless of their ability to pay, Bhatia said.
Explaining his purpose of visit, he said since they are moving ahead with the Academy in Dhaka, it is important to make sure that their partners in Bangladesh government understand much more clearly that this is project to help improve the quality of life through quality education.
Bhatia was involved in building several business enterprises and the development
of social and community institutions.
He laid emphasis on teachers training and innovations in education system to overcome the challenges of competitive world.
Through its Professional Development Center (PDC), the Academy will act as a regional hub for academic innovation and excellence, officials in Dhaka said.
They said it will be dedicated to training new teachers to the highest standard while offering veteran teachers the opportunity to stay on the cutting edge of education through research and practice.
This expertise will then be shared to enhance teaching and learning at government and other schools.
Officials at the AKDN said the award-winning Aga Khan Academy Dhaka represents a significant investment in education by Aga Khan Development Network for the benefit of Bangladesh and it will become a new national asset for the whole country and for its broad educational community.
http://www.unb.com.bd/special-news/Aga- ... 2%A0/61312
Aga Khan Academy Dhaka
Bangla delegation visits Aga Khan Academy, Qutb Shahi Tombs in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: A delegation of five high-ranking members of the Bangladesh government, led by Munir Merali, Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Ambassador to Bangladesh, visited the Aga Khan Academy near Shamshabad on Friday.
The objective of the visit was to explore the social benefit and impact that an academy can bring to its immediate neighborhood, ahead of the establishment of Aga Khan Academy Dhaka in Bangladesh.
The Bangladeshi delegation got first-hand exposure of the unique nature of an academy education; the benefit its outreach activities bring to the nations in which they are embedded, according to a press release.
As part of the two-day exposure visit, the delegation was also given a guided tour of the Qutb Shahi Heritage Park.
https://telanganatoday.com/bangla-deleg ... -hyderabad
Hyderabad: A delegation of five high-ranking members of the Bangladesh government, led by Munir Merali, Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Ambassador to Bangladesh, visited the Aga Khan Academy near Shamshabad on Friday.
The objective of the visit was to explore the social benefit and impact that an academy can bring to its immediate neighborhood, ahead of the establishment of Aga Khan Academy Dhaka in Bangladesh.
The Bangladeshi delegation got first-hand exposure of the unique nature of an academy education; the benefit its outreach activities bring to the nations in which they are embedded, according to a press release.
As part of the two-day exposure visit, the delegation was also given a guided tour of the Qutb Shahi Heritage Park.
https://telanganatoday.com/bangla-deleg ... -hyderabad
The Aga Khan Academy Dhaka
“This new Academy will be an important node in a network of 18 schools throughout the developing world, providing world class education for young men and women from all backgrounds, irrespective of ability to pay. It will be a remarkable place to go to school.”
His Highness the Aga Khan, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 20 May 2008
Introduction
The award-winning Aga Khan Academy Dhaka represents a significant investment in education by the Aga Khan Development Network for the benefit of Bangladesh. It will become a new national asset for the whole country – and for its broad educational community.
This not-for-profit school will be part of an integrated network of Aga Khan Academies located across 14 countries. The Academy is being established to provide exceptional students with an outstanding education to prepare them for leadership roles in Bangladesh and across the world. Students are selected based on merit, regardless of socio-economic background, gender, race or religion. This ensures that talented students from all sectors of Bangladeshi society can access a world-class education.
Through its Professional Development Centre (PDC), the Academy will also act as a regional hub for academic innovation and excellence. The PDC is dedicated to training new teachers to the highest standards while offering veteran teachers the opportunity to stay on the cutting edge of education through research and practice. This expertise is then shared to enhance teaching and learning at government and other schools.
Award-Winning Design
dhaka-1.png
Screenshot 2019-01-20 at 12.00.12.png
The Aga Khan Academy will be located on a 20-acre plot in Bashundara, Dhaka and will enrol 750 students (K–12) with a capacity to expand to 1,200. Residential facilities will be provided for students and staff to allow for wide participation and enable a diverse learning community. The school has been designed by renowned international architects to ensure the best possible educational experience in a physical environment that resonates with local Bangladeshi culture and architectural traditions.
The design for the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka received the award for best ‘Future Education’ project at the World Architecture Festival 2017, held on 15-17 November in Berlin, Germany. The award recognises the excellence of the school’s design as well as the project’s intention to generate positive social impact, which arises from the mission and values of the Aga Khan Academies and the wider Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The vision of the Academies is to develop future leaders with the skills and knowledge to positively support development in their own societies.
Construction of the Academy begun in 2018, with classes for students planned to start in 2020.
Educating Future Leaders
The Aga Khan Academy in Dhaka will develop leaders with a pluralistic sensibility – individuals who are proudly Bangladeshi yet also connected to the larger, cosmopolitan world. The Academies programme, which is based on the highly regarded International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, prepares students to succeed in a globally competitive world while also connecting them to their own language, literature, history and heritage. As they grow to take on leadership roles, this education uniquely prepares them to address the issues facing their communities with solutions that draw on global best practices and are appropriate to the local context. As language is essential to leadership, the Aga Khan Academy will provide bilingual education in English and Bangla, ensuring that students maintain strong ties to their roots. Service learning projects also cultivate the ethic of serving one’s community. In helping their neighboring communities, students are exposed to the challenges they face and learn to come up with contextually appropriate solutions.
Global Linkages
The Aga Khan Academy Dhaka will be the fourth school in a planned network of 18 campuses in Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Middle East, following Mombasa (Kenya), Hyderabad (India) and Maputo (Mozambique). Academy teachers and students will be able to collaborate across this network via technology to share experiences with others from different cultures. Teacher exchanges between schools provide exposure to different learning environments and opportunities to share best practices with colleagues. Student exchanges between schools are also planned to allow them to experience another culture first hand and further their experience of living in a pluralistic world.
International Partners
Education at an Aga Khan Academy is enriched by unique academic and co-curricular partnerships. The Academies work closely with AKDN agencies across many areas including for curricular innovation and to offer students in-depth service learning and internship experiences. Partnerships with internationally renowned institutions contribute to the quality of the Academies’ curriculum and professional development programmes, and ensure that the Academies maintain and enhance their international standing. Partners include the International Baccalaureate, the University of British Columbia, Concordia University, the Government of Ontario (Canada) and Microsoft, with the Academies in Mombasa and Hyderabad having both been recognised as Microsoft Showcase Schools.
https://www.agakhanacademies.org/dhaka-information
“This new Academy will be an important node in a network of 18 schools throughout the developing world, providing world class education for young men and women from all backgrounds, irrespective of ability to pay. It will be a remarkable place to go to school.”
His Highness the Aga Khan, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 20 May 2008
Introduction
The award-winning Aga Khan Academy Dhaka represents a significant investment in education by the Aga Khan Development Network for the benefit of Bangladesh. It will become a new national asset for the whole country – and for its broad educational community.
This not-for-profit school will be part of an integrated network of Aga Khan Academies located across 14 countries. The Academy is being established to provide exceptional students with an outstanding education to prepare them for leadership roles in Bangladesh and across the world. Students are selected based on merit, regardless of socio-economic background, gender, race or religion. This ensures that talented students from all sectors of Bangladeshi society can access a world-class education.
Through its Professional Development Centre (PDC), the Academy will also act as a regional hub for academic innovation and excellence. The PDC is dedicated to training new teachers to the highest standards while offering veteran teachers the opportunity to stay on the cutting edge of education through research and practice. This expertise is then shared to enhance teaching and learning at government and other schools.
Award-Winning Design
dhaka-1.png
Screenshot 2019-01-20 at 12.00.12.png
The Aga Khan Academy will be located on a 20-acre plot in Bashundara, Dhaka and will enrol 750 students (K–12) with a capacity to expand to 1,200. Residential facilities will be provided for students and staff to allow for wide participation and enable a diverse learning community. The school has been designed by renowned international architects to ensure the best possible educational experience in a physical environment that resonates with local Bangladeshi culture and architectural traditions.
The design for the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka received the award for best ‘Future Education’ project at the World Architecture Festival 2017, held on 15-17 November in Berlin, Germany. The award recognises the excellence of the school’s design as well as the project’s intention to generate positive social impact, which arises from the mission and values of the Aga Khan Academies and the wider Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The vision of the Academies is to develop future leaders with the skills and knowledge to positively support development in their own societies.
Construction of the Academy begun in 2018, with classes for students planned to start in 2020.
Educating Future Leaders
The Aga Khan Academy in Dhaka will develop leaders with a pluralistic sensibility – individuals who are proudly Bangladeshi yet also connected to the larger, cosmopolitan world. The Academies programme, which is based on the highly regarded International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, prepares students to succeed in a globally competitive world while also connecting them to their own language, literature, history and heritage. As they grow to take on leadership roles, this education uniquely prepares them to address the issues facing their communities with solutions that draw on global best practices and are appropriate to the local context. As language is essential to leadership, the Aga Khan Academy will provide bilingual education in English and Bangla, ensuring that students maintain strong ties to their roots. Service learning projects also cultivate the ethic of serving one’s community. In helping their neighboring communities, students are exposed to the challenges they face and learn to come up with contextually appropriate solutions.
Global Linkages
The Aga Khan Academy Dhaka will be the fourth school in a planned network of 18 campuses in Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Middle East, following Mombasa (Kenya), Hyderabad (India) and Maputo (Mozambique). Academy teachers and students will be able to collaborate across this network via technology to share experiences with others from different cultures. Teacher exchanges between schools provide exposure to different learning environments and opportunities to share best practices with colleagues. Student exchanges between schools are also planned to allow them to experience another culture first hand and further their experience of living in a pluralistic world.
International Partners
Education at an Aga Khan Academy is enriched by unique academic and co-curricular partnerships. The Academies work closely with AKDN agencies across many areas including for curricular innovation and to offer students in-depth service learning and internship experiences. Partnerships with internationally renowned institutions contribute to the quality of the Academies’ curriculum and professional development programmes, and ensure that the Academies maintain and enhance their international standing. Partners include the International Baccalaureate, the University of British Columbia, Concordia University, the Government of Ontario (Canada) and Microsoft, with the Academies in Mombasa and Hyderabad having both been recognised as Microsoft Showcase Schools.
https://www.agakhanacademies.org/dhaka-information
Aga Khan Academy to begin admission in July 2022 Dhaka
http://www.newagebd.net/article/140981/ ... -july-2022
Aga Khan Academy to begin admission in July 2022
Updated: 19:24, Jun 17,2021
Aga Khan Academy will launch its academic activities in July 2022 by enrolling its first batch of students from various social and economic backgrounds at its newly-constructed 20-acre campus at Bashundhara Residential Area in Dhaka.
The academy aims to create an educational environment to foster ethically pluralistic attitude and behaviour among students through community engagements, Theodore John Coburn, founding head of the academy, told journalists on Wednesday.
He said that the academy would equip students with skills to compete in a highly interconnected, competitive and globalised world and prepare them as future leaders for the country.
The academy, established by the Aga Khan Development Network, will provide bilingual education in both Bangla and English and offer International Baccalaureate educational programmes.
The academy with the accommodation capacity of 1200 students will begin its journey by enrolling 350 students in its first batch in July 2022, he said.
He added that some students of the Aga Khan School in Uttara would be transferred in phases to the academy in Bashundhara R/A.
New entrants will be admitted on the basis of merits, he said.
The Dhaka campus has already gone through the first phase of the construction work and purpose-built state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories and resource areas, including libraries, a wide field and extensive sports facilities, will also be ready for the students before the launch, he said.
About 300 out of 1200 students will also be offered residential facilities, he added.
The network’s resident diplomatic representative Munir M Merali said that the academy would have diversity in the classrooms with students coming from various parts of the country.
The academy in Dhaka will be the fourth among the network’s 18 Aga Khan Academies to be in operation as three of the academies are already in operations in Kenya, India and Mozambique, he said.
The academy will also have facilities for professional development of teachers in other educational institutions, said Hussein Hyderali, a senior AKDN official.
Aga Khan Academy to begin admission in July 2022
Updated: 19:24, Jun 17,2021
Aga Khan Academy will launch its academic activities in July 2022 by enrolling its first batch of students from various social and economic backgrounds at its newly-constructed 20-acre campus at Bashundhara Residential Area in Dhaka.
The academy aims to create an educational environment to foster ethically pluralistic attitude and behaviour among students through community engagements, Theodore John Coburn, founding head of the academy, told journalists on Wednesday.
He said that the academy would equip students with skills to compete in a highly interconnected, competitive and globalised world and prepare them as future leaders for the country.
The academy, established by the Aga Khan Development Network, will provide bilingual education in both Bangla and English and offer International Baccalaureate educational programmes.
The academy with the accommodation capacity of 1200 students will begin its journey by enrolling 350 students in its first batch in July 2022, he said.
He added that some students of the Aga Khan School in Uttara would be transferred in phases to the academy in Bashundhara R/A.
New entrants will be admitted on the basis of merits, he said.
The Dhaka campus has already gone through the first phase of the construction work and purpose-built state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories and resource areas, including libraries, a wide field and extensive sports facilities, will also be ready for the students before the launch, he said.
About 300 out of 1200 students will also be offered residential facilities, he added.
The network’s resident diplomatic representative Munir M Merali said that the academy would have diversity in the classrooms with students coming from various parts of the country.
The academy in Dhaka will be the fourth among the network’s 18 Aga Khan Academies to be in operation as three of the academies are already in operations in Kenya, India and Mozambique, he said.
The academy will also have facilities for professional development of teachers in other educational institutions, said Hussein Hyderali, a senior AKDN official.
https://www.thedailystar.net/star-youth ... rs-2113909
June 19, 2021
Aga Khan Academy Dhaka: Educating tomorrow’s leaders
The academy opens in Bashundhara next year
Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Masud Bin Momen and the delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently visit the Aga Khan Academy in Dhaka’s Bashundhara. Photo: Collected
Md Mizanur Rahman Himadri
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is establishing an educational centre of excellence, The Aga Khan Academy, in Dhaka to provide international standard education for students and prepare them for leadership roles in Bangladesh and across the world.
The Aga Khan Academy is located on a 20-acre of land in Bashundhara, which will enroll 750 students with a capacity to expand to 1,200.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
The academy will start its operation here next year, said officials of AKDN.
It will be part of an integrated network of world-class schools of Aga Khan Academies offering an international standard of education to promising students from pre-primary to secondary levels, located across 14 countries, regardless of their ability to pay.
Award-winning and designed to international standards, the academy in Dhaka will be the fourth in the network of 18 Aga Khan Academies globally, joining those in Mombasa (Kenya), Hyderabad (India), and Maputo (Mozambique).
The goal of The Aga Khan Academy, Dhaka, is to develop future leaders for Bangladesh who are equipped with the skills to compete in a highly inter-connected, competitive, and globalised world.
With the first investments to help develop the country's jute mill industry, AKDN has been active in Bangladesh for nearly seven decades. Today, AKDN in Bangladesh works primarily in the education and the financial sectors.
AKDN's impact in the education sector includes the efforts of the Aga Khan Foundation in supporting capacity building amongst local organisations, including BRAC, in the areas of non-formal primary education and early childhood development.
The Aga Khan Education Service has been operating The Aga Khan School, Dhaka, for over three decades, successfully providing quality English-medium education through multiple curricula (IB and Cambridge), with graduates making a difference in Bangladesh and globally.
During a recent visit to the academy in Dhaka's Bashundhara, Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Masud Bin Momen said, "The ministry looks forward to facilitating and supporting all such worthy investments specially to help educate future global Bangladeshi leaders."
AKDN's Resident Diplomatic Representative HE Munir M Merali said the academic programme offered by the academies has been developed according to the principles of the International Baccalaureate (IB). The IB provides a challenging academic environment for students and allows their achievement to be measured against international standards.
Admission is based upon merit, with financial aid available to ensure access for accepted students regardless of financial circumstances, he said.
Theodore J (TJ) Coburn, founding head of the academy in Dhaka, said global as well as local perspectives are reflected in the curriculum, and students' study in both English and Bangla languages, with a high percentage expected to graduate with a bilingual IB Diploma."
He further added that each Aga Khan Academy campus is purpose-built featuring state-of-the-art classrooms and resource areas, and extensive sports facilities. The residences provide secure and well-supervised accommodation for local and international students as well as those visiting from another Academy. As the global network of Academies develops further, both students and teachers will participate in visits and exchanges between Academies to broaden their experience and practical understanding of pluralism.
Promoting excellence in teaching, both on campus and more broadly, is a major goal of the Aga Khan Academies. Each Academy is established as a Professional Development Centre (PDC). The PDC aims at strengthening the profession of teaching in the region by providing substantial professional learning opportunities and modelling highly effective educational practice.
With all future educational activities of the AKDN in the country consolidated around the Aga Khan Academy in Dhaka, plans are underway to launch the project – and welcome the first cohort of students in July 2022, concludes Theodore J (TJ) Coburn.
June 19, 2021
Aga Khan Academy Dhaka: Educating tomorrow’s leaders
The academy opens in Bashundhara next year
Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Masud Bin Momen and the delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently visit the Aga Khan Academy in Dhaka’s Bashundhara. Photo: Collected
Md Mizanur Rahman Himadri
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is establishing an educational centre of excellence, The Aga Khan Academy, in Dhaka to provide international standard education for students and prepare them for leadership roles in Bangladesh and across the world.
The Aga Khan Academy is located on a 20-acre of land in Bashundhara, which will enroll 750 students with a capacity to expand to 1,200.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
The academy will start its operation here next year, said officials of AKDN.
It will be part of an integrated network of world-class schools of Aga Khan Academies offering an international standard of education to promising students from pre-primary to secondary levels, located across 14 countries, regardless of their ability to pay.
Award-winning and designed to international standards, the academy in Dhaka will be the fourth in the network of 18 Aga Khan Academies globally, joining those in Mombasa (Kenya), Hyderabad (India), and Maputo (Mozambique).
The goal of The Aga Khan Academy, Dhaka, is to develop future leaders for Bangladesh who are equipped with the skills to compete in a highly inter-connected, competitive, and globalised world.
With the first investments to help develop the country's jute mill industry, AKDN has been active in Bangladesh for nearly seven decades. Today, AKDN in Bangladesh works primarily in the education and the financial sectors.
AKDN's impact in the education sector includes the efforts of the Aga Khan Foundation in supporting capacity building amongst local organisations, including BRAC, in the areas of non-formal primary education and early childhood development.
The Aga Khan Education Service has been operating The Aga Khan School, Dhaka, for over three decades, successfully providing quality English-medium education through multiple curricula (IB and Cambridge), with graduates making a difference in Bangladesh and globally.
During a recent visit to the academy in Dhaka's Bashundhara, Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Masud Bin Momen said, "The ministry looks forward to facilitating and supporting all such worthy investments specially to help educate future global Bangladeshi leaders."
AKDN's Resident Diplomatic Representative HE Munir M Merali said the academic programme offered by the academies has been developed according to the principles of the International Baccalaureate (IB). The IB provides a challenging academic environment for students and allows their achievement to be measured against international standards.
Admission is based upon merit, with financial aid available to ensure access for accepted students regardless of financial circumstances, he said.
Theodore J (TJ) Coburn, founding head of the academy in Dhaka, said global as well as local perspectives are reflected in the curriculum, and students' study in both English and Bangla languages, with a high percentage expected to graduate with a bilingual IB Diploma."
He further added that each Aga Khan Academy campus is purpose-built featuring state-of-the-art classrooms and resource areas, and extensive sports facilities. The residences provide secure and well-supervised accommodation for local and international students as well as those visiting from another Academy. As the global network of Academies develops further, both students and teachers will participate in visits and exchanges between Academies to broaden their experience and practical understanding of pluralism.
Promoting excellence in teaching, both on campus and more broadly, is a major goal of the Aga Khan Academies. Each Academy is established as a Professional Development Centre (PDC). The PDC aims at strengthening the profession of teaching in the region by providing substantial professional learning opportunities and modelling highly effective educational practice.
With all future educational activities of the AKDN in the country consolidated around the Aga Khan Academy in Dhaka, plans are underway to launch the project – and welcome the first cohort of students in July 2022, concludes Theodore J (TJ) Coburn.
https://www.daily-sun.com/post/571764/A ... Bangladesh
Aga Khan Development Network builds on over three decades of excellence in education in Bangladesh
Diplomatic Correspondent
21st August, 2021 07:56:23 PM
Aga Khan Development Network builds on over three decades of excellence in education in Bangladesh
In line with the renewed Protocol of Cooperation signed between the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the Government of Bangladesh in 2013, AKDN is in the process of establishing a new centre of educational excellence in Dhaka – The Aga Khan Academy.
His Highness the Aga Khan has recently established a single agency, the Aga Khan Schools (AKS), which embraces both the Aga Khan Academies and the Aga Khan Education Services schools globally.
The agency is consolidating its future education activities in Bangladesh around the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka, said a press statement on AKDN on Saturday.
Building on the vision of His Highness the Aga Khan, the goal of the not-for-profit Aga Khan Academy Dhaka is to develop future leaders for Bangladesh who are equipped with problem solving and critical thinking skills to enable them to compete in a highly interconnected, competitive, and globalised world.
These new demands will be best met through the globally accepted International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, which will be adapted to the Bangladesh context and which emphasises enquiry, the development of research skills and critical thinking capacities.
The IB curriculum will be customised with the study of ethics; pluralism; economics for development; cultures, including Muslim civilisations; and governance and civil society.
Designed to international standards, the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka will also offer an award- winning campus built to accommodate 1,200 students, with residential facilities on an 18-acre site.
Students and teachers will have access to purpose-built facilities and abundant green spaces for learning, recreation, sports and the arts.
The Academy in Dhaka will be the fourth in the global network of 18 Aga Khan Academies, joining those in Mombasa (Kenya), Hyderabad (India) and Maputo (Mozambique).
The Academy plans to welcome the first cohort of students in July 2022, thereby continuing the AKDN’s tradition of providing outstanding educational services in Bangladesh for more than three decades.
All students currently enrolled at the Aga Khan School, Dhaka have been invited on a priority basis to continue their educational experience at the Academy in Bashundhara.
To that end, a comprehensive consultation process is underway with all families of the Aga Khan School, Dhaka to better understand their requirements.
Aga Khan Development Network builds on over three decades of excellence in education in Bangladesh
The details of the transition plan will be made available once this consultation process has been completed.
The AKS and AKDN leadership will continue to make every effort to ensure a seamless transition of students from the Aga Khan School, Dhaka to the Aga Khan Academy.
“Our intention is to provide the best standard of education that we can for our students and to ensure a transition process that is aligned to our vision of excellence and is in the best interest of our students’ educational aspirations and experience going forward,” reads the statement.
Aga Khan Development Network builds on over three decades of excellence in education in Bangladesh
Diplomatic Correspondent
21st August, 2021 07:56:23 PM
Aga Khan Development Network builds on over three decades of excellence in education in Bangladesh
In line with the renewed Protocol of Cooperation signed between the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the Government of Bangladesh in 2013, AKDN is in the process of establishing a new centre of educational excellence in Dhaka – The Aga Khan Academy.
His Highness the Aga Khan has recently established a single agency, the Aga Khan Schools (AKS), which embraces both the Aga Khan Academies and the Aga Khan Education Services schools globally.
The agency is consolidating its future education activities in Bangladesh around the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka, said a press statement on AKDN on Saturday.
Building on the vision of His Highness the Aga Khan, the goal of the not-for-profit Aga Khan Academy Dhaka is to develop future leaders for Bangladesh who are equipped with problem solving and critical thinking skills to enable them to compete in a highly interconnected, competitive, and globalised world.
These new demands will be best met through the globally accepted International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, which will be adapted to the Bangladesh context and which emphasises enquiry, the development of research skills and critical thinking capacities.
The IB curriculum will be customised with the study of ethics; pluralism; economics for development; cultures, including Muslim civilisations; and governance and civil society.
Designed to international standards, the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka will also offer an award- winning campus built to accommodate 1,200 students, with residential facilities on an 18-acre site.
Students and teachers will have access to purpose-built facilities and abundant green spaces for learning, recreation, sports and the arts.
The Academy in Dhaka will be the fourth in the global network of 18 Aga Khan Academies, joining those in Mombasa (Kenya), Hyderabad (India) and Maputo (Mozambique).
The Academy plans to welcome the first cohort of students in July 2022, thereby continuing the AKDN’s tradition of providing outstanding educational services in Bangladesh for more than three decades.
All students currently enrolled at the Aga Khan School, Dhaka have been invited on a priority basis to continue their educational experience at the Academy in Bashundhara.
To that end, a comprehensive consultation process is underway with all families of the Aga Khan School, Dhaka to better understand their requirements.
Aga Khan Development Network builds on over three decades of excellence in education in Bangladesh
The details of the transition plan will be made available once this consultation process has been completed.
The AKS and AKDN leadership will continue to make every effort to ensure a seamless transition of students from the Aga Khan School, Dhaka to the Aga Khan Academy.
“Our intention is to provide the best standard of education that we can for our students and to ensure a transition process that is aligned to our vision of excellence and is in the best interest of our students’ educational aspirations and experience going forward,” reads the statement.
The Aga Khan Academy: Of history, modernity and the future
The Aga Khan Academy: Of history, modernity and the future
Although the construction is expected to be finished in 2025, the project has already won the World Architecture Festival Award 2017 in the Future Projects (Education) category
What if a school could physically walk us back to the 8th century?
That is when our Bengal region boasted Buddhist monuments like Paharpur, Mainamati or Mahastangar. These terracotta-sculptured archaeological sites were built, among other things, with red bricks, which happen to be a classic aspect of architecture in this part of Bengal.
The Aga Khan Academy, which is still underway, bears all the aforementioned marks of that architectural heritage. The buildings of the institution are connected with nature. They are designed to breathe through another definitive feature of Bengal architecture: 'Jali' screens and windows. This lets fresh air in, but still shelters residents from natural elements, as opposed to many contemporary schools, which are enclosed and often lack any open spaces. The classrooms with glass louvre windows, however, are still air-conditioned.
Remember a time when you hastily took notes before the teacher dusted it off the board? In this academy, teachers will write on an electronic board, which automatically transfers the notes to electronic tabs provided to the students. Students are also allowed to take the tabs home with them.
The Jali screens and windows let fresh air in, but still shelters residents from natural elements. Photo: Saqlain Rizve
With seamless architectural blending of historical facades and interior modernity, the school is a perfect edifice constructed for the pursuit of not only academica, but also empirical and intuitive knowledge.
Assigned in 2010, the project is a joint effort of Professor Rafiq Azam of SHATOTTO Architecture for Green Living and Peter Clegg of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. It will be completed sometime in 2025, with many years of planning, designing and construction. Both firms are award winning architectural design firms.
We asked Azam how the work was divided up between the two parties.
"We did the whole project together, dividing the work between ourselves internally. Even though Peter is less familiar with Bangladeshi perspectives, he has a vast knowledge on educational institutions, and he is meticulous and detail-oriented. So the project was made possible by SHATOTTO's deep knowledge of Bangladesh combined with Peter's vast knowledge."
Throughout their discussions, Peter once asked Professor Azam what type of schools we have here historically.
"If the British can take pride in their heritage and education through institutions like Cambridge, we can too", Professor Azam said. "It was probably the 11th century when Cambridge was established. But in Bengal, we have had such universities since as early as 300 BC, possibly earlier. Thirty of these universities are mentioned in the writings of the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen-Tsang."
One could say these were schools for Buddhists only.
In the academic buildings, there are physics and chemistry labs with vibrant decoration and all safety measures. Photo: Saqlain Rizve
"Paharpur, Mahastanghar, Shalban Bihar, these were basically Buddhist schools. But the same can be said about Cambridge; it was for priests wearing cassocks and birettas. So in the same vein, these edifices of enlightenment date far back into the past and are inextricably linked to the thousand-year archeological landscape history of ours."
The brick patterning and artistry around the perimeter bordering the 300 feet road, just outside of Bashundhara Residential Area in Dhaka, pays homage to locally manufactured brickwork and traditional skills.
As you enter the premises, you will find 'Palash' trees all around it.
"Originally these trees used to be called 'Dhaak' trees. When the Mughals came to this region, they were amused to see so many of these and the name 'Dhaka' actually originates from here," says Professor Azam.
The brick walls will welcome you with a language you and any other Bangalee has known for thousands of years. The four-storied senior school building has a courtyard adjacent to it. There is another courtyard in-between the two buildings of the junior schools.
You will find the logo of Aga Khan Academy on top of the building placed beautifully on the roof. Photo: City Syntax
The courtyards are decorated with a symmetric layout of plants, brick seats and wooden tables. The students can even do homework sitting there; there are plug-in options in each seat. In the courtyards, there is a central space with pebbles and a drainage system which will harvest water in the rainy season and use it in the future for different purposes.
The buildings are designed in a way that when the sun sets, light enters the premises in a playful manner. The whole point of jali walls was that - to create a series of thresholds between air-conditioned classrooms and the sweltering summer sun.
"With these jali walls we have been able to regulate the sunlight inside the buildings. And
so, the children are not directly exposed to the sun when they come out of the class, rather they can pass through a threshold to open air," he continued.
The buildings are designed in a way that when the sun sets, light enters the premises in a playful manner. Photo: City Syntax
In the academic buildings, there are physics and chemistry labs with vibrant decoration and all safety measures. All rooms have cross ventilation, as the whole architecture facilitates air movement. In between the classrooms, you will find a corridor. Just beside the corridor there are a few stairs which will be used for seminars, or any kind of announcements or assignments involving the students.
To foster a sense of harmony between academic and non-academic pursuits, the architects wanted to create an educational environment that successfully balances academics with sporting activities, cultural events, and community life. There is an amphitheatre between the two junior school buildings, which will work as a gallery-like space for students to spend time in the open air.
As you move up the school buildings, you will find a garden-like rooftop designed to be used
by students for doing assignments sitting there, as the open sky could potentially enhance students' intuitive knowledge.
The brick patterning and artistry around the perimeter bordering the 300 feet road, just outside of Bashundhara Residential Area in Dhaka, pays homage to locally manufactured brickwork and traditional skills. Photo: City Syntax
You will find the logo of Aga Khan Academy on top of the building placed beautifully on the roof. In the Commons building, there is space for a cafeteria, indoor sports, nursing section and auditorium.
Like any other school, there is a huge field for the kids to play in, which they have named 'Maidan'. Separate courts for basketball, tennis and football sit adjacent to the Maidan, which is in the centre of all the academic buildings and residences.
To the west of the Maidan, there are residential facilities for students and teachers. As the academy is going to arrange teachers' development programs for government and non-government schools, there is an accommodation facility for teachers as well.
The courtyards are decorated with a symmetric layout of plants, brick seats and wooden tables. Photo: Saqlain Rizve
Two of the residences are already under construction and they are planning to build
three more. To develop leadership qualities, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) are planning to provide scholarships to many students who come far from the city.
The Aga Khan Development Network is a group of development organisations with mandates regarding the environment, health, education, architecture, culture, etc, inscribed in their guidelines.
Being involved in education and development around the world for over a century, the academy is one of their crucial projects to build new leaders.
As you move up the school buildings, you will find a garden-like rooftop designed to be used by students for doing assignments sitting there, as the open sky could potentially enhance students’ intuitive knowledge. Photo: City Syntax
The foundation is aiming to establish 18 academies all over the world. So far, they have already established four in countries like Mozambique, Kenya, India and now in Dhaka. These schools and academies are part of the Aga Khan Education Service.
Although the construction is expected to be finished in 2025, the project has already won the World Architecture Festival Award 2017 in the Future Projects (Education) category.
https://www.tbsnews.net/features/habita ... ure-453134
Although the construction is expected to be finished in 2025, the project has already won the World Architecture Festival Award 2017 in the Future Projects (Education) category
What if a school could physically walk us back to the 8th century?
That is when our Bengal region boasted Buddhist monuments like Paharpur, Mainamati or Mahastangar. These terracotta-sculptured archaeological sites were built, among other things, with red bricks, which happen to be a classic aspect of architecture in this part of Bengal.
The Aga Khan Academy, which is still underway, bears all the aforementioned marks of that architectural heritage. The buildings of the institution are connected with nature. They are designed to breathe through another definitive feature of Bengal architecture: 'Jali' screens and windows. This lets fresh air in, but still shelters residents from natural elements, as opposed to many contemporary schools, which are enclosed and often lack any open spaces. The classrooms with glass louvre windows, however, are still air-conditioned.
Remember a time when you hastily took notes before the teacher dusted it off the board? In this academy, teachers will write on an electronic board, which automatically transfers the notes to electronic tabs provided to the students. Students are also allowed to take the tabs home with them.
The Jali screens and windows let fresh air in, but still shelters residents from natural elements. Photo: Saqlain Rizve
With seamless architectural blending of historical facades and interior modernity, the school is a perfect edifice constructed for the pursuit of not only academica, but also empirical and intuitive knowledge.
Assigned in 2010, the project is a joint effort of Professor Rafiq Azam of SHATOTTO Architecture for Green Living and Peter Clegg of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. It will be completed sometime in 2025, with many years of planning, designing and construction. Both firms are award winning architectural design firms.
We asked Azam how the work was divided up between the two parties.
"We did the whole project together, dividing the work between ourselves internally. Even though Peter is less familiar with Bangladeshi perspectives, he has a vast knowledge on educational institutions, and he is meticulous and detail-oriented. So the project was made possible by SHATOTTO's deep knowledge of Bangladesh combined with Peter's vast knowledge."
Throughout their discussions, Peter once asked Professor Azam what type of schools we have here historically.
"If the British can take pride in their heritage and education through institutions like Cambridge, we can too", Professor Azam said. "It was probably the 11th century when Cambridge was established. But in Bengal, we have had such universities since as early as 300 BC, possibly earlier. Thirty of these universities are mentioned in the writings of the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen-Tsang."
One could say these were schools for Buddhists only.
In the academic buildings, there are physics and chemistry labs with vibrant decoration and all safety measures. Photo: Saqlain Rizve
"Paharpur, Mahastanghar, Shalban Bihar, these were basically Buddhist schools. But the same can be said about Cambridge; it was for priests wearing cassocks and birettas. So in the same vein, these edifices of enlightenment date far back into the past and are inextricably linked to the thousand-year archeological landscape history of ours."
The brick patterning and artistry around the perimeter bordering the 300 feet road, just outside of Bashundhara Residential Area in Dhaka, pays homage to locally manufactured brickwork and traditional skills.
As you enter the premises, you will find 'Palash' trees all around it.
"Originally these trees used to be called 'Dhaak' trees. When the Mughals came to this region, they were amused to see so many of these and the name 'Dhaka' actually originates from here," says Professor Azam.
The brick walls will welcome you with a language you and any other Bangalee has known for thousands of years. The four-storied senior school building has a courtyard adjacent to it. There is another courtyard in-between the two buildings of the junior schools.
You will find the logo of Aga Khan Academy on top of the building placed beautifully on the roof. Photo: City Syntax
The courtyards are decorated with a symmetric layout of plants, brick seats and wooden tables. The students can even do homework sitting there; there are plug-in options in each seat. In the courtyards, there is a central space with pebbles and a drainage system which will harvest water in the rainy season and use it in the future for different purposes.
The buildings are designed in a way that when the sun sets, light enters the premises in a playful manner. The whole point of jali walls was that - to create a series of thresholds between air-conditioned classrooms and the sweltering summer sun.
"With these jali walls we have been able to regulate the sunlight inside the buildings. And
so, the children are not directly exposed to the sun when they come out of the class, rather they can pass through a threshold to open air," he continued.
The buildings are designed in a way that when the sun sets, light enters the premises in a playful manner. Photo: City Syntax
In the academic buildings, there are physics and chemistry labs with vibrant decoration and all safety measures. All rooms have cross ventilation, as the whole architecture facilitates air movement. In between the classrooms, you will find a corridor. Just beside the corridor there are a few stairs which will be used for seminars, or any kind of announcements or assignments involving the students.
To foster a sense of harmony between academic and non-academic pursuits, the architects wanted to create an educational environment that successfully balances academics with sporting activities, cultural events, and community life. There is an amphitheatre between the two junior school buildings, which will work as a gallery-like space for students to spend time in the open air.
As you move up the school buildings, you will find a garden-like rooftop designed to be used
by students for doing assignments sitting there, as the open sky could potentially enhance students' intuitive knowledge.
The brick patterning and artistry around the perimeter bordering the 300 feet road, just outside of Bashundhara Residential Area in Dhaka, pays homage to locally manufactured brickwork and traditional skills. Photo: City Syntax
You will find the logo of Aga Khan Academy on top of the building placed beautifully on the roof. In the Commons building, there is space for a cafeteria, indoor sports, nursing section and auditorium.
Like any other school, there is a huge field for the kids to play in, which they have named 'Maidan'. Separate courts for basketball, tennis and football sit adjacent to the Maidan, which is in the centre of all the academic buildings and residences.
To the west of the Maidan, there are residential facilities for students and teachers. As the academy is going to arrange teachers' development programs for government and non-government schools, there is an accommodation facility for teachers as well.
The courtyards are decorated with a symmetric layout of plants, brick seats and wooden tables. Photo: Saqlain Rizve
Two of the residences are already under construction and they are planning to build
three more. To develop leadership qualities, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) are planning to provide scholarships to many students who come far from the city.
The Aga Khan Development Network is a group of development organisations with mandates regarding the environment, health, education, architecture, culture, etc, inscribed in their guidelines.
Being involved in education and development around the world for over a century, the academy is one of their crucial projects to build new leaders.
As you move up the school buildings, you will find a garden-like rooftop designed to be used by students for doing assignments sitting there, as the open sky could potentially enhance students’ intuitive knowledge. Photo: City Syntax
The foundation is aiming to establish 18 academies all over the world. So far, they have already established four in countries like Mozambique, Kenya, India and now in Dhaka. These schools and academies are part of the Aga Khan Education Service.
Although the construction is expected to be finished in 2025, the project has already won the World Architecture Festival Award 2017 in the Future Projects (Education) category.
https://www.tbsnews.net/features/habita ... ure-453134