The Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences (FHLS) at American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB) successfully organized an insightful seminar titled “Beyond the Screen: How Digital Life Shapes Young People’s Well-being”, held at the campus on December 4, 2025. The event focused on ways screens can help or harm and its impact on mental wellbeing and behavior and how it can be managed – “How do young people navigate the digital world and how to move forward to ensure balance?”

Internationally reputed speaker, Associate Prof. Dr Asaduzzaman Khan, PhD

Lead, Healthy Living Research Lab, from the University of Queensland, Australia emphasized how Digital technology has become an integral part of young people’s daily lives - shaping how they learn, play, and socialize. He pointed out that about 44% of Bangladeshi adolescents exceed the recommended (recreational) screen-time of 2 hrs/day by over 2 times.  Though there are some positive aspects of screen time such as it enhances learning interactive apps, boosts creativity, encourages storytelling, there are many negative aspects if used over the recommendation. It may cause poor mental health effects – linked with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and negative social comparison besides sleep disruption, academic impact – lower attention span, reduced physical activity – increases obesity risk and difficulty in developing communication skills.

“We need to build Leadership skills in our students where effective communication is the key to disseminate the knowledge gained. Doing research and collecting date is good but if it is not published and not shared with people through seminar, conferences and media it has not served its purpose, said Dr Muhammad Wasif Alam, faculty and head of the dept. of Public Health at AIUB. 

Dr. Rakia Ishra, Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health at AIUB, opened the floor for a very insightful discussion, engaging both undergraduate and graduate students to freely share their challenges, issues and ideas in overcoming Screentime issues in the younger generation. All participants echoed a common message—need alternative if screen time is prohibited. The availability of sports grounds, musical classes, cultural activities and quality family time with open-mindedness of both parents and faculties were encouraged.

The seminar was organized by the leadership of Dept. of Public Health under the guidance of Dr Zahid Khan – Registrar of AIUB and supported by Vice chancellor of the University Prof Dr Saiful Islam. Distinguished attendees included Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Tazul Islam, and other heads of the departments and faculty members were present.

The visiting guest speaker was impressed seeing the green campus and especially by the enthusiasm of the students in having a free and open discussion with him.