Alumnus Shahidul Islam Johnny (Heritage Conservation and Site Management)

Shahidul Islam Johnny
Heritage Conservation and Site Management, 2016, Master

He is working as a Probationary Research and Liaison Officer at Permanent Delegations of Bangladesh to UNESCO in Paris, France.

Hello Shahidul Islam Johnny, please tell us about your career path?
My personal story, like that of many other Bangladeshis, began in a simple rural village of farm families. Each morning I awoke to see my father preparing himself to work in the fields. He always advised me that I should prepare myself not for the fields but for schools. Without my parent’s continuous support and sacrifice I could have become farmer instead of graduating from HCSM program. I obtained bachelor’s degree in economics from the National University of Bangladesh in 2012. My interest in the field of tourism stemmed from my work as a tour guide with a respected Bangladeshi tourism company, which exposed me to tourism and heritage issues that piqued my interest to pursue more advanced study in the field of heritage conservation. Utilizing my background and experienced in tourism, I studied Joint Master Program Heritage Conservation and Site Management at Brandenburg University of Technology in Cottbus, Germany and Helwan University in Cairo, Egypt. I graduated in October 2016 with focus on the climate change adaptation of the historic urban landscape in Bagerhat, Bangladesh. Currently I work as a Probationary Research and Liaison Officer at Permanent Delegations of Bangladesh to UNESCO. My job is to coordinate UNESCO related affairs, research on sustainable development agenda 2030 in particular UNESCO’s culture and education sector and provide best possible information in order to formulate policies and decisions and prepare all documents related with UNESCO meetings and world heritage nomination files.

How did your studies at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg influence your career? 
In response to this question, I would like to recall my refusal German study visa in 2014 from Federal Republic of German Embassy in Dhaka in which embassy mentioned that, my study at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg would not fit into my future career. I would like to convey my profound thanks to my German friends Dr. Andreas Meissner, Christian Kemperdick and his wife Hildegard Allemand whose extraordinary support helped me obtain a German study visa to undertake my master study at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg in Germany. My current job is the direct result of my study program HCSM. The HCSM program has moved up the value of understanding the heritage conservation and site management, enhanced my knowledge in tangible and intangible cultural heritage presentation and interpretation, increased the understanding of sustainable development through balancing heritage preservation and economic development. Moreover, BTU-Cottbus Senftenberg laid the strong foundation for my career through excellent teaching, guidance and training during my entire study period.

What is your strongest memory from your time as a student at the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg?
My entire study period at BTU-Cottbus Senftenberg is full of great memories. BTU-Cottbus was the great platform to interact with the different countries student through group study, BTU buddy program, field trips and cultural programs. My strongest memory is falling in love with the BTU- Cottbus library, which I fell from the first day when I entered into the library. Library was the place where I used to find peace in my mind and prepared all my academic works. I thoroughly enjoyed my study time at library and now I miss it a lot.