The vice chancellor of Stamford University Bangladesh, Prof. Dr. Sharif Nafe As-Saber, received a Special Recognition Award at the Second International Climate Camp 2026 in Nepal, an honor presented by Nepal’s Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment, Geeta Chaudhary, during the event’s opening ceremony this week.
The award was conferred on Monday evening at Walnut Bistro in Kathmandu, where the five-day camp formally opened before moving between Kathmandu and Pokhara through July 11. As-Saber led Stamford University’s delegation to the camp, accompanied by Prof. Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, dean of the university’s Faculty of Science.
The camp drew more than 150 young climate activists, researchers, students and environmental advocates from across South Asia, according to organizers, with delegations from Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and other countries in the region taking part. The opening ceremony was attended by Nepalese government ministers, members of parliament, Bangladesh’s ambassador to Nepal, university vice chancellors, climate experts and representatives of development organizations.
The event is jointly organized by the Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research at BRAC University, Waterkeepers Bangladesh, the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development, Land Our Future Nepal, the Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies and Mission Green Bangladesh, with backing from several universities and research institutions across the region.
Addressing the ceremony as chief guest, Chaudhary said climate-vulnerable countries have the right to demand support from developed nations responsible for the bulk of global emissions. She said seeking cooperation from wealthier countries to address the climate crisis should not be seen as charity but as an entitlement, arguing that nations driving pollution must bear the cost of the damage inflicted on more vulnerable regions.
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Bangladesh’s ambassador to Nepal, Shafiqur Rahman, told the gathering that climate change has become an everyday reality for vulnerable countries such as Bangladesh, and that confronting it will require stronger institutional capacity, coordinated action and greater exchange of data and technology between nations. He said gatherings such as the climate camp create space to build that cooperation.
Over the five days, participants are attending sessions on climate science, leadership development, community-based adaptation, environmental education and policy dialogue, along with field visits and experience-sharing activities. The program also includes cultural and nature-based excursions to Sarangkot, Phewa Lake and the Trishuli River region, alongside visits to local sustainable-development initiatives. Organizers said the goal is to build a lasting regional network of young climate leaders equipped to contribute to adaptation and sustainable-development efforts across South Asia.
As-Saber, who assumed office as Stamford University Bangladesh’s vice chancellor in February 2026, has research interests spanning governance, public policy, artificial intelligence, climate change, ethics and international business strategy. He previously held senior academic leadership roles at RMIT University and Monash University in Australia, and earned his doctorate from the University of Tasmania. His appointment followed a nomination by the university’s Board of Trustees and approval by Bangladesh’s president, who serves as the university’s chancellor.
This year’s climate camp is the second edition of the initiative, following an inaugural gathering in Nepal in 2025 that brought together more than 80 Bangladeshi delegates alongside participants from the wider region. Organizers have positioned the recurring event as a platform for youth-led climate diplomacy, aiming to translate cross-border dialogue among students, researchers and policymakers into practical cooperation on adaptation, energy transition and disaster resilience.
For Stamford University Bangladesh, the recognition adds to a year in which the institution has drawn attention for leadership changes and expanding engagement with regional environmental and academic networks, having filled its top academic post only months before its delegation traveled to the Himalayan foothills for the climate gathering.