Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology


Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, commonly known as RUET, is one of the leading PhD granting public research universities in Bangladesh. It is one of the most prestigious public universities in the country that specialises in the field of engineering. Just like the other public engineering universities, the admission battle of RUET is considered to be the toughest one in the country as a student has to go through the selection process based in their grades and after getting selected, written examination.
RUET was founded in 1964 as Rajshahi Engineering College with a limited number of students. It was then changed to Bangladesh Institute of Technology in 1986 and was finally renamed Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology in 2003 when it gained a university status.
At present, more than 3500 students are pursuing their higher study in this green campus including under-graduate and post-graduate with over 250 prominent faculty members in diverse field of expertise. The medium of instruction and necessary assessment of this university is English.

History

Before the independence of Bangladesh, the then Government of Pakistan, to meet the increasing demand of professional engineers for the national development, established Rajshahi Engineering College in 1964 as a faculty of engineering under the University of Rajshahi. It was the second engineering college established in the then East Pakistan.
Rajshahi Engineering College started its journey with only three departments: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering and Civil Engineering, offering bachelor's degree programs only. It accepted its first class of 120 students in the academic session of 1964/65 and the second class of like number in the academic session of 1965/66. The teaching faculty consisted of 19 faculty members at that time.
After the independence of Bangladesh, the administration of the college was controlled by the Ministry of Education of Bangladesh and academic curriculum was controlled by University of Rajshahi. However, the infrastructural development and maintenance was taken care of by the Public Works Department of Government of Bangladesh. To remove these kinds of aforesaid problems several committees and commissions were formed since 1973. On the recommendation of these committees and commissions, in 1986, Rajshahi Engineering College was converted to an institute and was named Bangladesh Institute of Technology, Rajshahi to enhance the technical education.
In September, 2003, the institute was upgraded to a university and was named as Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology to enhance the technical education and research. From that time, the university is financed by the Government through the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh. The university is an autonomous statutory organisation of the Government of Bangladesh functioning within the "Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology: Act 2003".

Campus

RUET is situated in the northern part of Bangladesh, in the city of Rajshahi— the educational center of North Bengal. The RUET campus has been described as representing a "spectacular harmony of architecture and natural beauty".
The distinguishable seasons in Bangladesh are summer and winter. In summer season temperature of Rajshahi is hot and typically 25-40 degree Celsius and sometimes humid. In winter season temperature is moderate typically 8-20 degree Celsius.

Faculties and departments

RUET has currently eighteen departments under four faculties. The university has taken to plan open more departments which was under process.

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

Research

Research projects

RUET won a total of three projects for improving postgraduate research facilities and producing quality postgraduates from the "Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project " funded by the World Bank and the Government of Bangladesh during the period of 2014 – 2017. Lists of ongoing research project are as follows:
  1. Improvement of research capabilities of Mechanical Engineering Department of RUET for producing quality postgraduates and enhancing research outreach.
  2. Improving research facilities in Mechanical Engineering Department of RUET for post-graduate studies.
  3. Development of teaching learning facilities for undergraduate & graduate program in Mechanical Engineering Department of RUET

    Research institutes

RUET has currently following research institutes:
RUET has already taken plan to open more research institutes to enhance the technical education and research activities.

Research and extension unit

The research and outreach program of RUET is conducted by the research and extension unit. The main responsibilities of this unit is management of research, innovation, research publications, research planning, implementation, research related activities and research related communication with public and private sectors in nation and international level.

International collaboration

RUET has collaborative agreements with foreign institute and will extend further to enhance the research work, technical knowledge and skills. The collaborative areas covered are joint research activities, joint hosting of seminars, conferences and symposia, exchange of students, exchange of faculty members, exchange of academic materials, publications and information etc. At present, the collaboration of RUET exists with the following ones.
  1. Kitami Institute of Technology
  2. University of the Ryukyus
  3. Saitama University

    International conferences

For the last few years, RUET has been organising national and international conferences in its campus to enhance the research capabilities of its students and faculties. Among the conferences organised by RUET, the following ones are notable.
Getting into the major engineering university like RUET, it appears to be the toughest public university admission test battle to the aspiring candidates. RUET has a very selective approach when it comes to admitting a certain number of students into various disciplines of engineering each year.

Undergraduate

The undergraduate admissions process begins after all education boards of the country declare the results of the Higher Secondary Certificate examinations. After initial assortment according to HSC result, a certain number of eligible candidates are shortlisted for an elaborate written test. Usually application for admission start from September of each year, and an admission test is usually held in October or November as per decision of the admission committee. A total of 875 students were admitted in 2016.

Post-graduate

Admission notices for the post-graduate program usually circulate twice a year, in April and October. The notice is advertised on the university website. The list of valid candidates is published on the university website upon completion of the preliminary process and call for viva.

Facilities

Laboratories

Most of the newly established departments of the RUET don't have enough laboratory facilities. But the older ones have enough laboratory facilities not only for academic research but also for consultancy services. RUET is taking steps for establishing laboratory facilities for the newly established departments and for enhancing laboratory facilities for the older ones.

''Faculty of Civil Engineering''

Department of Civil Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
In February, 2017, Executive Committee of National Economic Council has approved 3.40 billion Taka to implement a mega project for the RUET, aiming to well decorate and development the whole campus and its education and research. The ECNEC approved the project in the name of "Further Development Project of RUET".

Student life

Accommodation

Student dormitories are important features in campus life. There are seven residential halls. One of them, namely Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall, is for female students and the remaining ones are for male students. The administrative head of a hall is its provost, usually chosen from the more senior teachers. The halls are mostly named after national heroes and leaders. These are listed below with their capacities:
Name of the hallsCapacity
Shahid Shahidul Islam Hall225
Shahid Abdul Hamid Hall225
Tin Shed Hall 100
Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall120
Shahid President Ziaur Rahman Hall500
Bangabondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall250
Shahid Lieutenant Salim hall350

Organisations and clubs

Students of RUET are involved in different organisations and clubs of the university. Members of these organisations and clubs organise different national programs at RUET. They also participate in different national and international competitions and shows indomitable performances. Some of the leading organisations and clubs of RUET are mentioned here.
The athletic club of the university provides multi-purpose sports facilities to the students to acquire physical fitness indispensable for a healthy mind and body. The university maintains a beautiful playground for football, cricket, badminton, volleyball, long tennis, basketball, etc. Indoor facilities are also available in the physical education building close to the playground.
RUET has a library, a central computer center, an auditorium, a canteen, a cafeteria, a medical center, a postal service and a banking service. RUET also has its own regular bus service almost everywhere in the Rajshahi city for the convenience of student transportation. Students these are residing in the city outside the campus can take this transport service to reached the campus due time.

Awards

Yearly academic cost is $40 in all departments. Admission cost is $213 including academic cost, medical costs, library, sports, convocation and others expenditure and for one time in four years bachelor's degree.

Photos