Dr. Md. Sabur Khan, Chairman of Daffodil International University (DIU), represented Bangladesh as a distinguished speaker at the Global Sustainable Development Congress (GSDC) 2026, held in Jakarta, Indonesia. He participated in the session titled “Driving Change: How South Asian Higher Education Powers the SDGs.”

During the discussion, Dr. Khan highlighted several key challenges facing South Asia, including youth employability, climate resilience, and equitable access to quality education and opportunities. He emphasized the important role of universities in preparing future-ready graduates, fostering entrepreneurship and innovation, advancing impactful research, and building partnerships that contribute to sustainable development.

Addressing how higher education institutions can continue advancing the Sustainable Development Goals despite resource constraints, Dr. Khan underscored the importance of visionary leadership, institutional commitment, innovation, and collaboration across sectors. He noted that meaningful societal impact can be achieved when sustainability is integrated into teaching, research, campus operations, and community engagement.

As part of the session, Dr. Khan shared Daffodil International University’s initiatives and contributions to SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). He highlighted the university’s efforts to expand access to quality education, promote entrepreneurship and digital innovation, strengthen international collaborations, and implement sustainability-focused programs that have gained recognition through leading global assessments and rankings.

The session brought together higher education leaders and stakeholders to exchange perspectives on how universities can accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and contribute to building a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future.