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President Andrea Schenker-Wicki awarded honorary doctorate by Asian University for Women
Bangladesh’s Asian University for Women (AUW) held a special ceremony in April to confer an honorary doctorate on the University of Basel’s president, Professor Andrea Schenker-Wicki.
17 April 2023
“We are delighted to be visited by Professor Andrea Schenker-Wicki and to honor the exceptional contributions she has made to so many fields,” said Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Bangladesh’s Minister of Information, in his address. For Kamal Ahmad, the founder of AUW: “Andrea Schenker-Wicki’s positive approach and her commitment to university education make her a role model.”
AUW wanted to honor this deep commitment in the field of education policy with the award of the Doctorate of Laws, honoris causa. The ceremony was originally due to have taken place in 2020, but was delayed by three years due to coronavirus pandemic.
“I accepted this honorary doctorate not only because it represents a huge honor,” stressed Schenker-Wicki in her acceptance speech, “but because we share the same values: we all believe in the transformative power of education.”
Research shows that investment in women’s education has a huge impact on the development of a society, particularly in low to middle-income countries. “The Asian University for Women plays a major role in combating discrimination against women in Bangladesh,” said Schenker-Wicki, “and in doing so creates important foundations for the country’s social and economic upswing.”
Access to university education
Opened in 2008 and located in Chittagong, Bangladesh, AUW is the first university in Asia to focus on the education of women. Funding is given to women who demonstrate the appropriate academic potential and pass a strict selection procedure.
At present, 1,345 young female students from 17 Asian countries study at AUW; they include a large number of young Afghan women who fled Afghanistan after the Taliban took power. More than 85% receive scholarships funded by private donors, governments, and departments of education around the world.
On completing their studies, the majority of AUW graduates find private or public sector posts in their home country, with about 25% continuing their studies at universities outside Asia, particularly in the US.
