On the evening of May 3, 2024, the business education landscape in Bangladesh reached a significant milestone with the formal inauguration of the IBA Mubarak Ali Case Centre, a joint initiative between the Mubarak Ali Foundation and the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) at Dhaka University. The event at The Intercontinental Dhaka celebrated the legacy of the late Mubarak Ali, a visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist who profoundly influenced the country’s business and educational sectors.
The inauguration began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the IBA campus, followed by a gala at The Grand Ballroom, where luminaries from academia and industry gathered to honour this transformative endeavour. The centre is poised to revolutionise business education in Bangladesh by integrating contextualised, real-world business case studies into the curriculum, thereby aligning more closely with global educational standards.
Enhancing Educational Paradigms
Amreen Bashir Ali & Tanveer Ali, founders of the Mubarak Ali Foundation, highlighted the vision behind the initiative: “The Mubarak Ali Case Centre is not just an academic institution; it is a beacon of practical learning designed to prepare future leaders with a deep understanding of the global business environment through the lens of localised challenges.”
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Professor Mohammad A. Momen, Director of IBA, underscored the importance of the partnership: “Collaborating with esteemed institutions like Harvard Business School and the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore enables us to enrich our curriculum and teaching methodologies, setting new benchmarks for business education in Bangladesh.”
A Global Collaborative Effort
The partnership with Harvard Business School Publishing and the Indian Institute of Management has been instrumental in developing a framework that supports the crafting and dissemination of case studies focused on Bangladeshi businesses. This approach ensures that students gain a comprehensive understanding of both the challenges and opportunities inherent in emerging markets.
Dviwesh Mehta, Regional Director- South Asia and Middle East, Harvard Business Publishing Education, shared his thoughts on the collaboration: “We are thrilled to partner with the IBA Mubarak Ali Case Centre. This initiative not only highlights the potential of Bangladeshi businesses on the global stage but also sets a precedent for the kind of impactful educational partnerships that can drive real change. Together, we are crafting a narrative of success that is rooted in real-world relevance and transformative educational experiences.”
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Professor U. Dinesh Kumar from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore added, “IIM Bangalore (IIMB) is delighted to collaborate with IBA Mubarak Ali Case Centre on this significant initiative. This partnership will serve as a platform to showcase the ingenuity and effectiveness of Bangladeshi
business models on a global scale. By fostering the development of case studies, this collaboration will provide valuable insights for companies worldwide.”
A Future Geared Towards Sustainable Development
As the Founder and Managing Director of Olympic Industries Ltd., Mubarak Ali successfully took a resilient company to the pinnacle of success in the last four decades. Today marks the first anniversary of Mubarak Ali’s death. Thus, the initiative of establishing the IBA Mubarak Ali Case Center has been taken to commemorate his versatile life and legacy. Through these initiatives, the Mubarak Ali Foundation continues to foster sustainable development and excellence in education, arts, and architecture. In art, the foundation supports the Emerging Artist Prize at the renowned Frieze Art Fair in London. The foundation’s commitment to these areas reflects Mubarak Ali’s lifelong dedication to community upliftment and social responsibility.
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As the event concluded, the sentiment among the attendees was hopeful and enthusiastic. The launch of the IBA Mubarak Ali Case Centre marks a significant step forward in advancing business education in Bangladesh, promising to cultivate a new generation of leaders equipped to navigate and shape the future of business both locally and globally.
