University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) is committed to impart quality education so as to emerge as one of the premier Universities in the country, as the springboard of scientific temper and knowledge capital in the entire NE region by bringing together leading academicians, researchers, entrepreneurs, thinkers, administrators, corporate and other stakeholders under one platform.
Improving Lives, Acquiring Knowledge, Achieving Dreams
The University of Science & Technology, Meghalaya (USTM) is the first State Private University on Science & Technology in the entire North East India, sponsored by ERD Foundation, Guwahati. The campus is established at a picturesque landscape surrounded by tranquil greenery in Assam-Meghalaya border. It is well-equipped with distinct laboratories for various courses like Biotechnology, Microbiology, Tissue Culture, Botany, Zoology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Electronics, Psychology, Basic & Applied Sciences as well as other core branches of Engineering and Technology Laboratories. The widespread campus is Wi-Fi enabled, with state of art classrooms & tutorial rooms equipped with modern teaching& learning aids to facilitate technology enabled learning, and is awarded the best campus in the east in 2015 by campus management group.
USTM offers UG, PG courses & PhD under its nine different schools namely School of Applied Sciences, School of Business Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, School of Engineering & Technology, School of Social Sciences & Humanities, Prof QoumrulHoque School of Education, University School of Law & Research, School of Allied Health & Medical Sciences and University College of Physiotherapy.
USTM started operating academic sessions in the year 2011 with seven students and currently the number of students at USTM notched up to more than five thousand which includes 3800 existing and 2000 students in the current academic session 2017-18. Having nurtured an objective of providing quality education to all, especially the under-privileged rural class, USTM is emerging more as People’s University as it is more destined to cater to the needs of the people of North East.
A Visionary Thinker who Treaded an Untrodden Path
Shri Mahbubul Hoque, Founder & Chancellor of USTM, is an educational entrepreneur with a view to educate, enlighten and empower the backward class people, especially womenfolk so that they take a center-stage in all sphere of life and come out victorious in the long run.USTM is the dream-come-true project of Mahbubul Hoque, whose educational entrepreneurial initiatives started with just one computer, four students and Rs.85 in reserve. Today, he governs two CBSE affiliated schools, one engineering college, one law school, one B.Ed college, one women’s college, one career guidance centre, one education rehabilitation centre & a University in the name University of Science & Technology Meghalaya. He intends to strengthen and streamline the educational infrastructure in Assam and other parts of North East, with the help of Education, Research & Development Foundation (ERDF). Established in 2005,ERDF has emerged as the largest institutional network in the North East region catering education from KG to PG to Ph.D.
An educationist, philosopher as well as a social worker, Mahbubul Hoque was at some point of time a very common and humble person hailing from a nondescript village called Purbagool, Asimganj situated in the district of Karimganj in Assam. He was raised amidst umpteen struggles against poverty having lost both his parents at an early age. From a very tender age, he had taken the onus of his studies upon himself by taking tuition classes to young students in his own vicinity and also by selling home-grown vegetables in the market.But unfazed by all the financial difficulties, he went on with his studies and ultimately came out with flying colors from prestigious Aligarh Muslim University in the year 2000 by holding rank in MCA from the department of Computer Science.
Mahbubul Hoque has diligently shaped his career as an Educational Entrepreneur.His first educational venture was Central IT College which he started in the year 2001 with minimal amenities and just 4 students. Central IT College soon became the second best study-centre of Sikkim Manipal University in the whole country. Mahbubul Hoque continued his struggle in the field of education and succeeded to achieve milestone one after another traversing several impediments to set up the institutions in Assam and later in Meghalaya with allied educational activities in other states of North Eastern Part of India.
Career Opportunities for students
The Training & Placement cell and the Directorate of Competitive Examination & Placement has been set up at USTM aiming to secure live projects for the students whereby they will be exposed to real life industrial experiences and thus enabling them to have a wholesome picture of the requirements of the Industry. The university also organizes various career counseling programs, interactions with experts throughout the year so that the students can choose a right path in right direction for a fruitful career. USTM’s theorists are confident that their students will have a bright future and they would occupy important positions to serve society.
Free Education & Support to Meritorious Underprivileged
Being the kind-hearted socialist as he is, Hoque has initiated to give free Education & fee relaxation to meritorious students belonging to families living Below Poverty Line& economically weaker sections. Today, Hoque’s ERD Foundation has more than 15% of the total students of all the universities namely; University of Science and Technology Meghalaya, Regional Institute of Science and Technology, Khairun Nessa Begum Women’s College, and more than 25% of total students of Central Public School, Badarpur & Patharkandi, who are availing both completely free education and concession.ERD Foundation has launched Scholarships, Endowment Funds, Fellowships few of which are Prof Qoumru lHoque Memorial Scholarship, Dr.Bhupen Hazarika Fellowship, Prof. S.D Phukan memorial scholarship, U.Kiang Nongbah Scholarship, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarships for students.
This unique scheme is conceptualized by Mahbubul Hoque, under which 20 brilliant undergraduate students are fully sponsored by the Foundation for obtaining coaching on Civil Service Examinations isolating poverty from the path of realizing their cherished dreams. He has the vision of convulsing the North Eastern Region of India with successful IAS aspirants and hence this scheme– “HOQUE 20”.
Connecting People: Connecting Educational Fraternity
Under the flagship of ERDF (Education Research Development Foundation), USTM hosts events like North East Graduate Congress, North East College Principals Conclave, North East Teachers Congress, ERDF Talent Fest, North East Law Graduates Conclave and North East Junior College Principals Meet.Additionally, facilitating Govt. of India‘s NSS festival and more than 20 seminars/workshops/conferences are being organized every year. It has enabled the University to establish strong relations with different institutions, teaching &learning community and their stakeholders.
The Chancellor of USTM, Mahbubul Hoque, is the architect of all those trend-setting flagship programs. As a result of his innovations which are often ground-breaking, unconventional and first of its kind, those programs have laid an indelible impact in the education scenario of North East and the students get highly benefitted as those programs help them develop better connectivity with different experts from various fields both academic and professional, boosting their confidence.
Bright Future of USTM Students
In order to serve the developmental needs of the North East Region, the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) provides ample opportunity to the students through seminars, workshops, internship opportunities, field visit, industry visit etc. round the year so that they can develop their entrepreneurial skills and hence start off their own projects. The employability of the students is encouraged and fostered by making them engaged and exposed to advanced technological knowledge through different national and international organizations, universities of repute where USTM had signed MoUs. The idea is to synergize their expertise that will set global standards, making students scientifically innovative, technically superior and ethically strong who in turn shall improve the quality of life of the entire North East Region.
The University is dedicated to the cause of high quality science and technology education and advanced research in frontier and cutting edge areas leading to the creation of a University where innovation, invention and entrepreneurship remain the cardinal focus and thrust.
