University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) is set to host the 9th Inter-University Student Conference and Cultural Competition, scheduled to take place on October 19-20 at ULAB’s permanent campus in the capital’s Mohammadpur.

The event, organised by the Department of English and Humanities (DEH), promises to be an insightful exploration of the theme "Gender: The Binary and Beyond."

Also: WURI Ranking 2021: ULAB among global top 100 innovative universities

This year, the Department of English and Humanities has partnered with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Bangladesh to host the event.

The first and only one of its kind, the DEH Inter-University Student Conference and Cultural Competition has become an annual highlight in the academic calendar, providing a platform for students from universities all across Bangladesh to engage in scholarly discourse and creative expression.

Also: ULAB celebrates 18th Foundation Day

This year, the event has grown to include 21 universities, all presenting academic papers on day one to compete for the Best Paper Award, and seven of them vying for the coveted Champion's trophy in the Cultural Competition on day two.

The conference aims to delve into the intricate ways in which gender is constructed, performed, and represented in literature, language, linguistics, cultural studies, communication studies, translation studies, and the digital humanities.

Also: ULAB holds scholarship award ceremony

Students from universities all over Bangladesh will present their research to share their explorations of the theme. The Cultural Competition, a vibrant component of the event, encourages students to express their ideas creatively, fostering teamwork, leadership, and friendly competition.

According to ULAB, it is a platform where participants can explore diverse artistic expressions in the context of the theme.

To ensure fairness and transparency in the adjudication process, academics from non-participating universities will assess the academic papers and performances as usual.

For the first time, DEH will also hold an art exhibition at the conference exclusively featuring artwork by DEH students and alumni. The highlight of this year's conference is the prize-giving and closing ceremony, scheduled for Friday, October 20, 2023, at 3:00 pm.

Iqbal Hossain, programme advisor of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Bangladesh, will join the closing ceremony as the chief guest. The ceremony will be the culmination of two days of academic and creative exploration.