NSU graduates
However, I do not believe that a recent Star Weekend Magazine (March 31, 2006) article titled "Doorway to a Brighter Future" portrayed the unqualified truth when it quoted a certain NSU graduate (unfortunately I have no recollection of him from my NSU days) saying "Back then, those who were unable to get a seat in the public institutions, made their way towards NSU, ... The curriculum was still developing and most of the kids just wanted to transfer their credits abroad to complete a foreign degree and for a better life there."
As a matter of fact, many of the students who enrolled in the three semesters of 1993, including myself, had already secured admission in prestigious and highly competitive public university programmes. Many had outstanding SSC/HSC or O Level/A Level results. For example, in the very first semester of North South University, there were at least three students who had places within the top ten in the HSC exams. What motivated us to be part of NSU was a dream; a dream to spend perhaps the most significantly defining years of our lives in a well designed, adequately resourced, aptly modernised, strongly directional and true equal opportunities university education system that was free of petty politics, corruption, and counterproductive bureaucracies that had plagued the public universities.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. I can say without any hesitation that NSU stood up well beyond our expectation.
Although a few did successfully transfer their credits to reputable overseas universities (and proved the credibility of NSU programmes even more), majority of the 93 enrolled students completed their degree from NSU. A large number of these graduates pursued postgraduate studies in numerous top standard universities of countries like US, UK, Canada, and Australia and many secured scholarships and on-campus academic jobs to support their higher education. But what fills up my heart with great pride is that many of our classmates have positioned themselves at highly responsible and influential places in many large organisations at home and abroad.