The University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) concluded its Ninth Inter-University Student Conference and Cultural Competition, a two-day exclusive event organised by the Department of English and Humanities (DEH) in partnership with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Bangladesh.

The conference, held from October 19–20 at ULAB’s permanent campus in the capital’s Mohammadpur, delved into the theme "Gender: The Binary and Beyond" and showcased the collective efforts of students from different public and private universities across Bangladesh, according to a press release.

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“Beyond the Mirror,” the cultural production by ULAB, won the championship in the cultural competition. Stamford University bagged the runner-up award.

Raina Isabela of BRAC University won the Best Paper Award while Amreeta Lethe Chowdhury from ULAB and Rohama Chowdhury of Metropolitan University jointly won the runner-up position.

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Academics from non-participating universities ensured fairness and transparency in the adjudication process for both academic papers and performances.

This year, 19 universities presented academic papers on October 19, competing for the Best Paper Award, while day two saw seven universities vying for the coveted Champion's Trophy in the Cultural Competition.

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The event's grand finale was the prize-giving and closing ceremony, which took place on Friday, October 20. Iqbal Hossain, programme advisor of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Bangladesh, was the chief guest.

Prof Jude William Genilo, ULAB pro-vice chancellor, alongside Prof Kaiser Huq, dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, and Arifa Ghani Rahman, head DEH, handed over the awards to the winners. The winners received a crest, a certificate of recognition, and prize money as awards.

One of the notable highlights of this year's conference was the introduction of an art exhibition exclusively featuring artwork by DEH students and alumni, providing a visually captivating dimension to the event and attracting a diverse number of audiences.