Govt eying to establish BD as regional hub for higher edu: Minister

Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon on Thursday said the government’s goal is to attract international students and establish Bangladesh as a regional hub for higher education.

He made the remarks at a discussion held at the conference room of the University Grants Commission (UGC), where the commission initiated the process of finalising the National Action Plan for Higher Education Transformation: Achieving Sustainable Excellence (2026�"2030). Senior officials from the Ministry of Education and the UGC exchanged views on the draft action plan during the meeting.

The minister said the roadmap for transforming Bangladesh’s higher education sector should come from the UGC, as it is the country’s central regulatory and coordinating body for higher education. He emphasised that the commission’s leadership must become more dynamic and effective to raise the quality of higher education to international standards.

He called for formulating a comprehensive national policy on internationalisation, including the admission of foreign students and expanding academic collaboration with overseas institutions. He also urged policymakers to examine successful higher education reforms in countries such as China, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Pakistan and adapt relevant best practices to Bangladesh’s context.

“The country’s large population is a valuable resource. Through quality higher education, skills development, research and innovation, this human resource can be transformed into a powerful driver of national development,” the minister said.
UGC Chairman Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed said a long-term reform strategy has been designed to align the country’s higher education system with changing global realities, technological advancements and evolving labour market demands. He said the draft five-year action plan has been prepared by incorporating the recommendations of the recent national workshop on higher education transformation held at the University of Dhaka in the presence of the Prime Minister, along with the government’s priorities and the UGC’s strategic vision.

According to the UGC chairman, the action plan identifies five strategic priorities: enhancing graduate employability through demand-driven education; strengthening university-industry collaboration and global competitiveness; accelerating digital transformation and the use of artificial intelligence (AI); improving faculty development and professional capacity; promoting research excellence, innovation and internationalisation; and ensuring good governance, quality assurance and institutional reforms.