Maj. Gen. (Retd) I F Shayekhzzaman, former Engineer in Chief, Bangladesh Army, met with the Honorable Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md. Ashraful Haque, AUST, on June 26, 2025 and later on presented a new concept of “Cognitive and Leadership Development Skills (CLDS)” in a meeting. Prof. Dr. Md. Ashraful Haque presided over the meeting. Among others, Prof. Dr. Md. Abdul Matin (Pro-VC in charge and Dean Faculty of Engineering), Prof. Dr. Farida Nilufar (Dean, Faculty of Architecture), Prof. Dr. Shahid Mamun (Head, Department of CE), Prof. Dr. Shafiul Alam (Dean, Faculty of Business and Social Science), Prof. Dr. Bobby Barua (Head, Department of EEE),  Prof. Dr. Wahiduzzaman Khan (Head, School of Business), Prof. Dr. S. M. A. Al-Mamun (Director, ICT), Prof. Dr. Mazharul Islam (Director, Center of Extension of Services), Prof. Dr. Meganur Rhaman (Director, Center for Nanotechnology), Mr. A. B. M. Mahbubul Malik (Head, Department of Architecture) were present in the meeting. Dr. A. K. M. Baki, Member-Secretary (Committee for Advanced Studies and Research) and Professor of the Department of EEE, coordinated the meeting. At the very outset of the meeting, Prof. Dr. Haque introduced the participants to Maj. Gen (Retd.) Shayekh.

Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Shayekh presented his outlook on cognitive skills like, attitude, leadership, emotional intelligence, brain science, human habits, resilience and other soft skills those are needed to educate the innerself to be a better personality in life.

A Summary of the presentation of Maj. Gen. Shayekh is as follows:

“A Harvard study has concluded that only 15 to 20 percent of our life’s success comes from academic excellence and the remaining 80 percent comes from the learning of different soft skills like emotional intelligence, attitude, leadership and others. In reality, we devote nearly 100 percent of our efforts to achieve academic excellence and virtually nil effort to the soft skill learning. Technology has driven our new generations to a paradigm shift of culture and conduct. Hence soft skill learning has now become an imperative for us. This is the time to integrate soft skills learning with our education system from Nursery to Masters, thus making soft skill learning as a part of our national culture.”

After the presentation different Heads and Deans took part in discussions on the presented topic. At end of the meeting Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Shayekh presented a token of honor to the Honorable Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md. Ashraful Haque. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks.