You could feel the shift immediately. That sharp, textbook division between university theory and the unpredictable reality of the workplace simply melted away on 21 October, 2025. The HRM Discipline at East West University (EWU) didn’t just host a seminar “Future HR Leaders: Skills and Strategies for a Successful Career” they delivered a necessary intervention. This was designed to arm students, specifically those tackling critical HR courses, for the complexities of a global, digital field.

A dose of reality from the frontlines
The session was anchored by a voice that matters: Md. Mehanazuddin Rupom, SHRM-SCP, Head of HR & Admin, AMANN Bangladesh Limited. Look, Mr. Rupom wisely skipped the usual theoretical slide deck. Instead, he chose to deliver actionable strategies and practical wisdom that students could use the moment they step into an office.
He prioritized the nuanced abilities that truly distinguish a contemporary leader:

The ethical frontier
The high point of the seminar delved into the moral maze of AI. By presenting a difficult, real-world scenario, Mr. Rupom forced students to confront biases in automated hiring and the critical importance of data privacy. This focus highlighted the truth—ethical integrity must govern technological choices, or progress risks creating profound injustice.
The atmosphere was dynamically charged; you could literally feel the shift among students as they moved from abstract academic ideas to concrete, career-defining decision points.

EWU’s investment in integrity
The visible fervor and active engagement from the students validated the seminar’s success. It served as a vital bridge, effectively closing the gap between the classroom and the corporate battlefield and reinforcing the university’s commitment to producing genuinely workforce-ready talent.
Institutional support was strong, with dedicated faculty members mobilising to participate, including Associate Professor Dr. Rumana Afroze, Abdullah Al Sayed, Fairose Farin, and Shabiha Afrin Sharna from the HRM discipline.

The seminar reiterated East West University’s strategic goal: to equip its graduates not just with degrees, but with the ethical backbone and leadership code necessary to confidently steer Bangladesh’s human resources industry into its increasingly complex and demanding future.

The Soft Power: Rupom underscored the necessity of fundamental human traits building trust, emotional intelligence, and professional networking. It was a gentle but firm reminder: technology speeds things up, but HR’s core mission is people, and empathy must remain their strongest tool.