Seminar Recap · Saturday, 9 May 2026

Bridging the Theory and Practice Gap in Science Education in Bangladesh — MBSTU

KRTC's volunteer-led seminar on bridging the theory–practice gap in science education was held at Maulana Bhasani Science & Technology University — bringing together teachers, students, distinguished academic guests, and KRTC's North Zone team for an open conversation on practical scientific competence and applied training.

Published Multipurpose Building (2nd Floor), Mawlana Bhashani Science & Technology University
Group photo of guests, teachers, KRTC team, and students at the MBSTU seminar
KRTC's seminar at Maulana Bhasani Science & Technology University — bridging theory and practice in science education

About the seminar

Md. Zakaria Hossain presenting at the MBSTU seminar
Md. Zakaria Hossain presenting KRTC's integrated institutional model

Kekuleon Research and Training Center (KRTC) organised an academic seminar on "Bridging the Theory and Practice Gap in Science Education in Bangladesh" at Maulana Bhasani Science & Technology University — held at the Multipurpose Building (2nd Floor) on Saturday, 9 May 2026.

The seminar concluded a three-city KRTC outreach across Bangladesh's North Zone in May 2026, designed to bring the conversation about practical, applied science education directly to MBSTU students and the surrounding academic community.

The programme was coordinated by Md. Zakaria Hossain, Founder and Research Coordinator of KRTC and MSc Chemistry candidate at the University of Siegen, Germany. The initiative was guided by Dr. Dilip Kumar Sarkar and Dr. Shah Md. Shahan Shahriar, Associate Professors at the Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Rajshahi.

Distinguished academic guests

Distinguished academic guests at the MBSTU seminar
Faculty and academic guests supporting the KRTC initiative at MBSTU

Senior faculty members from Maulana Bhasani Science & Technology University and the surrounding academic community joined the programme. Their presence reinforced the ongoing dialogue between students, faculty, and KRTC's leadership on the practical realities of science education in Bangladesh.

Programme highlights

Students and teachers during the MBSTU seminar session
Participants engaging with the discussion on practical scientific competence and applied STEM training

The seminar addressed several structural challenges in science education in Bangladesh — including limited laboratory exposure, weak connection between theoretical learning and real-life application, insufficient undergraduate research opportunities, limited scientific mentoring, and barriers to higher education and research careers.

Participants discussed how MBSTU students can prepare for graduate research, scholarship pathways, instrument training, and industry-ready scientific work — connecting classroom knowledge with the laboratory and industry standards expected in regulated applied chemistry settings.

Key outcomes & takeaways

Open Q&A and discussion at the MBSTU seminar
Open dialogue between students, faculty, and KRTC's leadership

The seminar produced several concrete outcomes that strengthen the connection between MBSTU students and KRTC's broader academic and applied-science network:

• Extended KRTC's outreach into Tangail and the wider Mymensingh / Dhaka academic region — broadening the network beyond the traditional Rajshahi–Rangpur axis.

• Direct exposure for MBSTU undergraduate and postgraduate students to KRTC's University Coordinator network and laboratory practice methodology.

• Open dialogue between students, faculty, and KRTC's leadership on bridging classroom learning with applied scientific work — including hands-on research, instrumentation, and industry-grade quality practice.

• Concrete pathways introduced — research methodology preparation, scholarship and graduate-research opportunities, industry-ready skills development, and global academic mobility routes.

• Foundation laid for continued engagement through KRTC's training programmes, follow-up workshops, and ongoing mentoring through the Coordinator network.

• Strengthened the cross-regional KRTC network connecting MBSTU with RU, BRUR, HSTU, BSTU, PUST, and partner institutions — reinforcing the decentralised, integrated approach to applied science education in Bangladesh.

Organising & project-support team

Project and KRTC team members at the MBSTU seminar
Project-support team contributing to KRTC's institutional development and capacity building

The seminar's organising and project-support team — drawn from KRTC's volunteer-led leadership, faculty advisors, regional coordinators, and department instructors — reflects the multidisciplinary collaboration behind KRTC's applied science education and institutional development work.

Looking ahead

Closing moments and audience interaction at the MBSTU seminar
Closing remarks and continued engagement with students and faculty

The MBSTU seminar concluded KRTC's three-city seminar series across the North Zone in May 2026 — following the seminars at Pabna University of Science and Technology (Thursday, 7 May) and the University of Rajshahi (Friday, 8 May).

Beyond this series, KRTC continues to build pathways for secondary-level students, undergraduate and master's applicants, PhD candidates, recent graduates, and professionals — through merit-based scholarship opportunities, affordable training, support for disadvantaged students, laboratory skill development, environmental awareness initiatives, student volunteer programmes, and community healthcare outreach.

Through this seminar at MBSTU, KRTC reaffirmed its commitment to a decentralised and integrated model of applied STEM education in Bangladesh — and renewed its call for collaboration among universities, research institutions, industry professionals, and policy-focused bodies.

Behind the scenes

Organising & project-support team

The KRTC team and partners whose multidisciplinary support made the seminar possible.

Gallery

Seminar moments

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Want to know about the next KRTC seminar?

Stay in touch — we'll announce the next North Zone seminar soon.