The Department of Industrial and Production Engineering (IPE) at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (Sust) hosted the grand finale of IPESphere Season 2 alongside the IPESphere Job Fair 2026 on 19 September.

The day-long event brought together 196 teams from 34 universities, alongside academics, industry representatives, recruiters, judges, alumni and students, creating a platform for innovation, practical learning and career engagement.

IPESphere Season 2 featured three national-level competitions: the Business Case Competition, Innovation Challenge and CAD Competition. The accompanying job fair allowed students to interact with employers, explore career opportunities and gain insights into industry expectations.

Among those attending the event were Sust Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr G M Rabiul Islam; Duet Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Mohammad Iqbal; Professor Dr Md Abu Hayat Mithu, Head of the Department of IPE at Sust; Professor Dr Mst Nasima Bagum, Convener of IPESphere Season 2; Co-Convener Pritidipto Paul; Distinguished Professor Dr Mostafizur Rahman; Professor Dr Abul Mukid Mohammad Mukaddess; and Professor Dr Choudhury Abul Anam Rashed.

Faculty members, judges, sponsors, alumni, industry representatives, participants and student organisers also attended the event.

The formal inauguration was marked by a cake-cutting ceremony in the presence of the distinguished guests.

Connecting students with industry

The IPESphere Job Fair 2026 provided students with opportunities to engage directly with employers and learn about career pathways and workplace expectations.

Participating organisations offered exposure to opportunities in production and manufacturing, supply chain management, planning, business analysis, technology, software and engineering services.

By hosting the job fair alongside the national competitions, the organisers aimed to create a platform where students could demonstrate their skills while exploring potential career opportunities.

Emphasis on practical learning and innovation

Professor Dr Mst Nasima Bagum welcomed the guests, participants, judges, sponsors and organisers, while expressing gratitude to those involved in the initiative. She also congratulated the participants and finalists for progressing through the competition stages.

Professor Dr Choudhury Abul Anam Rashed thanked the judges, sponsors, alumni and other stakeholders for their support. He highlighted the importance of giving students opportunities to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges and emphasised the role of competitions and industry engagement in enhancing their learning experiences.

Professor Dr Md Abu Hayat Mithu stressed the importance of practical learning, innovation and problem-solving in engineering education. He highlighted the need for students to understand industrial challenges and apply academic knowledge to develop practical solutions.

Competition results

The grand finale concluded with the announcement of winners in the three competitions.

Business Case Competition

• Champion: Shorshe Ilish, a mixed team representing Sust, Daffodil International University (DIU) and the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).
• 1st runner-up: Hattimatim Team, Institute of Business Administration, Jahangirnagar University.
• 2nd runner-up: AwwTYSM, National Institute of Textile Engineering & Research (NITER).

CAD Competition

• Champion: PHENOL, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET).
• 1st runner-up: Fillet & Forget It, Sust.
• 2nd runner-up: SUST_Non-Dimension, Sust.

Innovation Challenge

• Champion: Coffee_Break_Crew, University of Asia Pacific (UAP).
• 1st runner-up: Anna Chaya, Sust.
• 2nd runner-up: Team_Trident, Sust.

Sponsors and partners

Indetechs Software Limited served as the gold sponsor, while Smart Solution and Essential Clothing Ltd served as silver sponsors.

Signature 11 was the platinum sponsor of the CAD Competition, while Montrims Ltd was the platinum sponsor of the Business Case Competition.

The event’s media and print partners included Channel 24, TBS Graduates, The Business Standard and The Daily Ittefaq.

The organisers also acknowledged the contributions of Azeem Mohammad, Tariful Islam Tanvir, Abdus Sabur, Md Kamruzzaman, SpeedTech (Md Yunus) and SM Hasan.

Student-led initiative

The Sust IPE student organising team worked for approximately three months to coordinate the competitions and job fair.

The team managed participant communication, competition coordination, judge management, technical operations, venue arrangements, media activities, job fair coordination and the execution of the grand finale.

The organisers expressed gratitude to the Sust authorities, faculty members, judges, guests, sponsors, alumni, industry partners, media organisations, participants and volunteers for their support.

With the conclusion of the grand finale and job fair, IPESphere Season 2 brought students, academia and industry together to promote innovation, practical learning and career engagement at SUST.