Educational administration in Bangladesh is a male-dominated field, but this did not stop a Filipina from standing out as one of the pioneers of world-class business education in that country. She is Dr. Carmen Z. Lamagna, the only woman university Vice-Chancellor and the only Filipino in Bangladesh to hold the position.
Since the President of Bangladesh serves as the ex-officio Chancellor of all private universities in Bangladesh, university vice-chancellors are the ones who actually manage the university’s operations. Since 1997, Dr. Lamagna has been the Vice-Chancellor of the American International University in Bangladesh (AIUB), one of the largest private universities in that country. The AIUB is one of the top 10 universities in Bangladesh according to the Bangladesh University Grants Commission, an institution akin to the Philippines’ Commission on Higher Education. Under Dr. Lamagna’s capable leadership, AIUB was awarded the “Best Business School” in 2004 by the Financial News Service (FNS), an economic news service which conducted a survey on the performance of all universities, and financial and industrial organizations in Bangladesh.
Dr. Lamagna’s achievements as an educator and manager may be gleaned from the positions she has held in prestigious international bodies. She is currently an Executive Committee member of the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP), a worldwide association of university chief executives with a membership of 600 endeavoring to promote quality education everywhere. She is also presently affiliated with the Association of Universities of the Asia and the Pacific (AUAP), serving as the organization’s Treasurer and Board Member since July 2003. In September 2005, she was elected as AUAP’s First Vice President for 2006 to 2008. AUAP has 218 regular members in 19 countries and territories.
As a testament of Dr. Lamagna’s managerial skills, Rapport Bangladesh Limited, a company of management consultants, trainers and publishers, chose Dr. Lamagna as one of the recipients of the 2004 Rapport Award for Excellence in Human Resource Development. The said awards program has been conducted annually since 2000, and has conferred awards to 10 individuals every year. In conferring the Amity Academic Excellence Award to AIUB, the Centre of International Business of the Amity Business School in Noida, India, cited Dr. Lamagna’s unrelenting efforts in applying the best business practices in the academe to achieve excellent results in business education.
Dr. Lamagna has been instrumental in developing AIUB’s image as a world-class educational institution through linkages with the academic community in the Philippines and other countries. In the past, Dr. Lamagna has initiated exchange programs with universities such as Angeles University and University of Sto. Tomas in the Philippines, Siam University in Thailand, and the Australian National University, among others. Dr. Lamagna also initiated the conclusion of an agreement between Microsoft Bangladesh and AIUB, providing training to AIUB teaching staff, as well as Microsoft training and instructional materials.
No less than the then Acting President of Bangladesh, Barrister Muhammad Jamiruddin Sircar said of Dr. Lamagna, “Due to her able leadership and strong determination, the American International University-Bangladesh has earned fame and good reputation both nationally and internationally… Her devotion and contribution is very much honoured and useful for our socio-economic development particularly in the field of higher education in Bangladesh.” Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos also cited Dr. Lamagna’s extensive contribution to both official and unofficial efforts to strengthen Philippine-Bangladeshi relations.
In conferring the Pamana ng Pilipino Award to Dr. Carmen Z. Lamagna, the President recognizes her pioneering leadership in the management and development of the American International University in Bangladesh, and her pro-active role in various international education fora
