Professor Dr. Syed Humayun Akhter
Vice-Chancellor
Bangladesh Open University

Syed Humayun Akhter serves as the Vice-Chancellor of Bangladesh Open University (BOU). With a distinguished academic and professional background, he brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the position.

Syed Humayun Akhter has a strong educational foundation, holding a PhD in Geology from the Indian Institute of technology, Kharagpur, India. His specialized knowledge in the field of geoscience, sound knowledge on technology and considerable experience in open and distance learning and educational management has been instrumental in shaping the strategic direction of BOU.

As the Vice-Chancellor, Syed Humayun Akhter is committed to advancing the mission of BOU to provide accessible and pragmatic education to a wide range of learners. He has introduced several initiatives aimed at improving the quality of open and distance education and expanding the university's reach across the country.

Under his leadership, BOU has embraced technology and digital platforms to enhance the learning experience for students. Online resources, interactive platforms, and virtual classrooms have been implemented to facilitate effective distance learning. Additionally, he has focused on strengthening the university's ties with industry partners and international institutions to ensure the relevance and global competitiveness of BOU's programs.

Syed Humayun Akhter's visionary leadership and dedication to promoting action-oriented, mass-oriented and lifelong learning have earned him recognition within the education sector in Bangladesh. His efforts to transform BOU into a leading institution for open and distance education have had a positive impact on thousands of students, empowering them with knowledge and skills for personal and professional growth.

Professor Dr. Syed Humayun Akhter is a Bangladeshi academic and geoscientist, currently the 8th Vice-Chancellor of the Bangladesh Open University (BOU). Before joining BOU to this position, he served in different academic, administrative and co-curricular development activities at the University of Dhaka including the Provost and House Tutor of the Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall; Dhaka University Senate Member; Chairman, Department of Geology; Director, Delta Study Center; Student Advisor of Geology Department, Faculty Advisors of Society of Exploration Geophysicist (SEG) Dhaka University Chapter and Society of Petroleum Exploration (SPE) Dhaka University Chapter.

Dr. Syed Humayun Akhter was born on 26th February 1955 in Kushtia, Bangladesh. He is the eldest son and 2nd child of Mrs Shahana Khatun and Dr. Syed Abu Akhter Fazley Rob (a renowned medical practitioner; President of BMA Kushtia; local organizer of the Bangladesh Liberation War and provided medical services to wounded freedom fighters of Bangladesh in 1971). In his personal life, he is married to Khondokar Junnatul Ferdous and has two daughters.

Dr. Humayun Akhter passed the SSC examination from Mohinimohan Vidhyapith School, Kushtia in 1970 and the HSC examination from Kushtia Govt. College in 1972. He obtained his BSc (1975) and MSc (1976) degrees in Geology from Dhaka University. He was awarded Indian Government Scholarship in 1980 for post graduate study and earned a Ph.D (1986) degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, India. Dr. Humayun Akhter started his career as a geologist in Prakausali Sangsad Ltd. in 1979 and also worked in the National Museum of Bangladesh and Petrobangla. In 1987, he joined Dhaka University, as a Lecturer in the Department of Geology and in 2002 became a Professor in the same department. Professor Humayun Akhter specialized in Earthquake Geology, Geodetic GPS, Structure and Tectonics, Thermoluminescence Age Dating, Field Geology, Remote Sensing and Photogeology, Engineering Geology, and Natural Hazards.

Dr. Humayun Akhter has a long track record of research collaboration with Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) of Columbia University in the city of New York, USA, and other universities of USA, UK, Germany, Singapore & India. He is a visiting scientist at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory since 2003. He has significant experiences in the field of geotectonic, earthquake geology, geodetic GPS, and natural hazards. He carried out fieldworks with the BanglaPIRE (NSF PIRE project) research team in the tectonically active regions of the Himalayan and Burmese deformation front. Dr. Humayun Akhter has established the Dhaka University Earth Observatory (DUEO) and run the network of 6 permanent seismic stations, 54 portable seismographs, and 30 continuous geodetic GPS stations. Dr. Humayun Akhter was one of the six grant recipients of the NSF-USAID Pilot Program PEER (Partnership for Enhanced Education in Research) grant. He was invited to the official launching ceremony of PEER Science in the NSF Office, Washington DC for his contribution to the project. He was an active partner and one of the three members of the Directorate of the NSF PIRE Project, Grant OISE 09-68354.

Professor Humayun Akhter has published numerous research articles (>60 full articles & >80 abstracts) in peer-reviewed national and international geoscientific journals and presented research findings in many international conferences, workshops, and seminars. He is a regular contributor in the national and international print and electronic media on earthquakes and natural hazards in Bangladesh. Dr. Humayun Akhter established ‘Sediment Sample Repository and Data Bank’, the first of its kind in the country. He has organized and conducted training on earthquake geology, earthquake networking, paleoseismology, earthquake hazard analysis, multichannel seismic data processing & interpretation. Dr. Humayun Akhter developed the infrastructure of the “Seismic and Geodesy Lab” at the Geology Department, DU with modern facilities for training and advance research on earthquake and seismic hazards. He has been working on crustal dynamics, Indo-Burma Subduction Zone tectonics, seismicity & subsidence in Bangladesh, a project of joint research collaboration between Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO), Columbia University, and Dhaka University Earth Observatory (DUEO) under financial support from NSF, USA. He writes popular articles and gives TV talks on earthquakes and natural hazards and has been known for his stand in creating public awareness against natural hazards particularly earthquake hazards in Bangladesh.

Professor Syed Humayun Akhter is a lifetime member of Geological Society of Bangladesh & National Oceanographic and Maritime Institute (NOAMI), affiliated member of American Geophysical Union (AGU), Geological Society of America (GSA), Bangladesh Association for the Advancement of Science (BAAS), Bangladesh Society of Geoinformatics (BSGI) and foreign affiliated member of Incorporated Research Institution for Seismology (IRIS), USA, University NAVSTAR Consortium (UNAVCO), USA. Dr. Humayun Akhter is also the General Secretary of Geohazard Research Advancement for Bangladesh (GRAB).