British Council Backs Bangladesh’s Higher Education Quality and Global Ranking Drive

The British Council has expressed its interest in supporting the improvement of quality in Bangladesh’s higher education system and enhancing its international rankings. Welcoming this interest, Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed highlighted various effective initiatives undertaken to develop students’ soft skills to make them employment-ready.

This mutual expression was made during a courtesy meeting followed by discussions on 2 April with a four-member delegation led by Stephen Forbes, Country Director of the British Council Bangladesh. During the meeting, the UGC Chairman called for strengthening joint research, exchange of innovative ideas, appointment of visiting professors, and enhanced academic collaboration with leading universities in the United Kingdom.

On the other hand, Stephen Forbes stated that the British Council is interested in supporting the internationalization of Bangladesh’s higher education institutions, improving teachers’ professional skills, expanding academic partnerships, and establishing effective linkages with foreign universities. He also mentioned support for research collaboration, formulation of transnational education policies, and the development of English language education.

He further informed that the British Council is already working on developing training modules for the professional development of university teachers in the country. Under this module, approximately five thousand teachers are currently being trained through the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project.

The delegation also stated that they are interested in supporting the development of “master trainers” to ensure the sustainability of this training program.

Welcoming this interest in collaboration, UGC Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed said that the Commission is working to elevate the country’s higher education to international standards and ensure quality education. Special emphasis is being placed on improving the learning environment, producing internationally competent graduates, and enhancing students’ employability skills.

He noted that currently around 50 lakh students are studying in public and private universities across the country. The UGC is prioritizing efforts to meet their expectations and implement the government’s electoral commitments in the higher education sector. The activities under the HEAT project are also playing a significant role in achieving these goals.

Professor Mamun Ahmed further stated that the decline in ethics and values among students in higher education institutions is a matter of concern. To address this issue, he emphasized incorporating subjects such as integrity, morality, humanity, and patriotism into the curriculum. He also stressed the need for organizing workshops and training programs to achieve this objective.

DBTech/EA/EK/OR