The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) and The Asian University for Women (AUW) together today announced the launch of ‘HSBC-AUW School of Apparel and Retail Management’ a one-year Master of Science in Apparel and Retail Management programme.

Funded by HSBC’s philanthropic support the programme will be guided by a global Academic Committee chaired by Dr. Dipak C Jain, former Dean of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (who also served as Dean of INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France). The Masters Programme will prepare young female professionals with expertise in fashion, merchandising, supply chain management, brand management, and occupational health and safety issues. It is intended to help the burgeoning apparel industry induct more female talent in management roles.

The programme was launched at a prestigious event titled, ‘HSBC-AUW School of Apparel: Leading the Future of Fashion’ at the Radission Blu Chattogram Bay View Hotel was attended by top dignitaries from Government, Regulators, Business and International Leaders including:

Tipu Munshi, MP, Honourable Minister, Ministry of Commerce, Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh

Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, MP, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education, Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh

Amanda Murphy, Head of Commercial Banking, South & Southeast Asia, HSBC

Kamal Ahmad, Founder, AUW

Faruque Hassan, President BGMEA

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, former Prime Minister of Denmark

Katrina Fotovat, Senior Official, US Department of States

Mahfuz Anam, Editor and Publisher of The Daily Star

Dr Rubana Huq, Vice Chancellor, AUW

Md Mahbub ur Rahman, CEO, HSBC Bangladesh

Hon’ble MP, Minister of Education, Board of Trustees (BoT), AUW, Dr. Dipu Moni graced the event sending her thoughtful remarks through a video message.

AUW’s Vice Chancellor, Rubana Huq expressed her hope saying, “Today, the Apparel industry in Bangladesh needs a homegrown talent pool, which will service the needs of the sector. Therefore, in order to prepare cohorts ready to take on the challenge of employability in Bangladesh, AUW is happy to launch the School of Apparel and with HSBC Bangladesh.

Amanda Murphy, Head of Commercial Banking, South & Southeast Asia, HSBC said, “The global apparel industry is evolving rapidly alongside emerging technologies, changing consumption patterns and an increasing focus on sustainability. We are proud to partner with the Asian University for Women to launch the HSBC-AUW School of Apparel and the Masters programme, equipping future talent with the expertise to drive continued innovation in Bangladesh’s largest export industry. Importantly, this programme supports the professional and leadership development of women, providing better access to opportunities through inclusion and fostering the long-term growth for Bangladesh and its communities.”

The programme aims to create a pool of trained women management graduates to lead businesses in the apparel sector. Ensuring international standard education, this program will also build local management talent and enable enduring skill formation within the country while contributing towards the social goal of women empowerment. Academic excellence, industry relevance and social significance would be the defining features of the programme. The graduates would be technologically savvy, have superior communication skills and gain up-to-date, contemporary knowledge and skills needed for apparel and retail management. The programme aims to seek excellence in terms of attracting top quality students, quality faculty with a state-of-the-art curriculum, and placement in leading organisations. Affiliations with top tier universities in UK and USA, elevate the academic programme to an international standard. The programme will provide students hands-on experience of collaborating with the global counterparts, acting as a bridge between the academia and the industry.

Under the programme, 13 courses will be offered to students of AUW and 50 students will be enrolled in the inaugural year. HSBC will help set up the school including design Mac labs, provide support for curriculum and faculty, IT and class infrastructure and education materials.

Notes to Editor:

Bangladesh is one of the key contributors to the global apparel supply chains. Over the last 40 years, apparel has grown to be the single largest industry in the country, comprising more than 80% of the country’s total export revenue with 4M+ workers, of which more than 65% are women. As a result, the apparel industry has become an extremely crucial part of the economic growth and progress of the country. To promote Bangladesh as an international apparel destination for international retailers, there is a need for rigorous academic and institutionalised training and to have a collaboration between academia and industry.

The Asian University for Women (referred to as ‘AUW’) is an independent, international university based in Bangladesh. AUW is dedicated to excellence in women’s education and leadership development through both a technical and humanistic liberal arts and sciences curriculum. AUW seeks to graduate women who are skilled and innovative professionals, service-oriented leaders in the businesses and communities in which they serve, and promoters of intercultural understanding and sustainable human and economic development in Asia and throughout the world.

HSBC has a longstanding commitment to supporting the communities in which it operates. A significant portion of its work is directed towards helping people develop the employability skills they need to thrive. HSBC aims to empower the community, through its ‘Future Skills’ initiative with a vision to facilitate the apparel sector of Bangladesh with a skilled workforce. HSBC has been supporting customers in Bangladesh including those form the apparel sector and promoting international trade for decades. HSBC has also been working towards empowering women with skills development for employability.