Center of Excellence in Higher Education
The First Private University in Bangladesh

Host Nations: A Refugee Simulation

Host Nations: A Refugee Simulation

South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) at North South University, Dhaka has hosted the 2019 NASPAA-Batten Student Simulation Competition on 23rd February 2019. NASPAA is global accreditor in public service education. It is the membership organization of graduate education programs in public policy, public affairs, public administration, and public & nonprofit management. Its over 300 members - located across the U.S. and in 24 countries around the globe - award MPA, MPP, MPAff, and similar degrees. NASPAA is the recognized global accreditor of master’s degree programs in these fields.

This competition is a partnership initiative between the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), which is being concurrently conducted in 11 global sites including North South University. Around 585 students are taking part in the host sites including Dhaka, Cairo, Seoul, Mexico City, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and San Francisco to tackle policy issues associated with forced migration through computer-based simulated game using real world data. The contesting students play different leadership roles to design world policy issues on forced migration and calibrate policy decisions for balanced or desirable outcomes with regard to human rights, integration, and GDP growth against budget restrictions and political resistance to address migration issues.

A group of 40 graduate students from the department of public administration, policy and governance from eight universities from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal took part in the simulation competition. The participating universities and institutions were: University of Dhaka, North South University, Jahangir Nagar University, Barisal University, University of Rajshahi, the National Law School of India University, Bangalore, India, and Tribhuvan University, Nepal. The theme of the simulation is Global Migration. Professor Atiqul Islam, the Vice Chancellor of North South University opened the simulation competition which was attended by NASPAA delegate and faculty members of different universities.

At the end of the competition, a certificate awarding ceremony was held which is graced by the presence of Pro-vice Chancellor of NSU Prof. Dr. Gias U. Ahsan. On the basis of judgment of four judges, University of Dhaka won the crown of site champion and another team comprised of the students of MPPG of North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh and students from National School of Law of India University, Bengaluru, India became the Site Runners-up of the competition. Medal to the champion was distributed by NASPAA representative Mr. David Marshall, Director of Membership Development.