Overview

After a long struggle and relentless efforts, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) was established in 1986. As the only university of its kind at the time, it officially began its journey on 1st Phalgun (13th February 1991) with just three departments—Physics, Chemistry, and Economics—alongside 13 teachers and 205 students.

Since then, SUST has experienced significant growth. It now comprises 7 schools, 27 departments, and 2 institutes. The number of faculty members has increased to 566, and the student population has grown to 8,596. Additionally, under its School of Medical Sciences, the university has 12 affiliated medical colleges, enrolling approximately 4,000 students.

SUST was the first university in Bangladesh to introduce the integrated honours course. It also adopted the semester system in the 1996–97 academic session, leading to remarkable improvements in the quality of education—evident even at the national level.

Every SUST student is required to take two language courses—one in Bangla and the other in English—as well as two computer courses: one for computer literacy and another focused on programming. The Computer and Information Center offers training for all university employees, making SUST arguably the most IT-enabled university in the country.

SUST has also launched graduate programs, offering master's degrees across most departments. While establishing a world-class research program is difficult without a well-funded graduate school, SUST faculty members continue to strive to foster a research-friendly environment on campus.

Three research journals are published regularly by the university—one in Bangla and two in English—with hundreds of research papers submitted annually. Several departments have been hosting international conferences and organizing a range of co-curricular activities on a regular basis.

Looking ahead, SUST is committed to improving its international ranking by enhancing research, teaching quality, and related academic activities.