BRAC University holds 2nd International Case Conference on Business and Management 2025

BRAC University hosted the 2nd International Case Conference on Business and Management (ICCBM 2025) on the Merul Badda campus in Dhaka recently on the theme “AI Innovation and Sustainability: Rethinking Enterprise, Practice and Leadership in the Global South”.

The case conference is a pioneering initiative of BRAC Business School (BBS) of BRAC University in Bangladesh, according to a media release. 

This year, it was organized by the BBS in partnership with Emerald Publishing, paying tribute to the memory of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, the founder of BRAC University.

“We are living in very important times, which are very important not only for Bangladesh but also for the entire global economy,” said Kamran T Rahman, chairman of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MCCI), as chief guest.

“The coming days will belong to those who can ask the right questions, think critically under pressure, remain moral in the face of greed and delusion, and lead with courage in uncertain situations,” he said.

In a keynote address, Shariar Pavel, global executive & thought leader, Humanizing Global Technology, said advanced AI would bring about major changes in the future.

He explained that AI needs to be developed in a way such that it can provide simple and effective solutions for people at the right time. He further said AI could increase the world's GDP by up to 10 percent.

Reminiscing about Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, special guest Syed Kaiser Kabir, managing director and CEO of Renata LTD, said Sir Abed was a visionary, a skilled implementer, and one of the greatest and most ambitious entrepreneurs of Bangladesh.

Kabir urged students to follow in the footsteps of Sir Abed, to be flexible and to adapt to changes in every aspect of their lives.

Another special guest, Professor Abdur Rab, vice-chancellor of the International University of Business Agriculture and Technology, emphasized the need for initiatives to create affordable technology within the country.

For this, universities and businesses need to work together, he said.

BRAC University is moving forward to lead from the Global South, said Vice-Chancellor Professor Syed Ferhat Anwar.

He said BRAC University was engaging in educational and research collaborations with renowned universities around the world and diversifying to incorporate subjects, such as agricultural technology and fashion design.

Professor Mohammad Mujibul Haque, dean of the BBS and the conference chair, said such conferences play a very positive role in creating and disseminating new applied knowledge.

He emphasized the usefulness of local context-based case studies for effective experiential learning in grooming career-ready, competent graduates.

For this, he welcomed greater collaboration between the industry and academia, and greater commitment from academics and administrators for local context-based case pedagogy.

In ICCBM 2025, a total of 69 accepted cases out of 97 submissions, representing more than 70 organizations across different industries, were presented in parallel sessions.

A proceedings, consisting of 69 extended abstracts of the accepted cases, has been published.

The conference, held on Thursday, 18 December 2025, reflected a robust and multidisciplinary case development effort that integrated academic rigor with real-world relevance.

The diversity of contributors, subject areas, and industries demonstrated strong alignment with contemporary business education needs, particularly in emerging economies, while international participation further positioned the collection as globally relevant and pedagogically valuable.

Faculty members and students from local and foreign universities, including BRAC University, and professionals from various industries participated in this international conference.

AMA Coffee, Bangladesh General Insurance Company PLC, IFAD Group, Dhaka Bank PLC, and Trust Bank PLC were the corporate partners of the conference.