Butex graduates enjoy cent percent employment rate

In an interview with Tanvir Raihan of The Daily Observer, Prof Dr Md Julhas Uddin of the Bangladesh University of Textiles (BUTEX) focused on academic reforms, faculty shortages, campus politics, graduate employment, research, accommodation and his vision for BUTEX saying that ensuring 100 per cent employment for graduates and maintaining zero unemployment is one of his principal goals. Since taking charge, he concentrated on academic discipline, reducing session delays, strengthening research, improving transparency in faculty recruitment and preparing students for the job market. Excerpts of the interview are as follows.

DO: How competitive is admission to BUTEX?

DO: What steps have you taken to reduce session delays?
Vice-Chancellor: We have introduced a two-semester system every year. As a result, students now have the opportunity to complete their academic programmes on time and finish their BSc degrees within four years. Previously, students often needed five to five and a half years to complete the degree. We are now working to bring that period down to four years.

DO: What initiatives have been taken to improve practical education?
Vice-Chancellor: Laboratories and practical training are extremely important in engineering education. We currently have 25 specialised laboratories in operation. We want students not only to acquire theoretical knowledge but also to gain hands-on experience and prepare themselves according to the needs of the industry.

DO: How have you addressed delays in publishing examination results?
Vice-Chancellor: We have set specific deadlines for the Controller of Examinations’ office. As a result, we have reduced the time required to publish results from three or four months to one or two months. Timely publication helps students plan their next semester, higher studies and careers more effectively.

DO: What changes have you made to ensure transparency in faculty recruitment?
Vice-Chancellor: We have introduced a three-stage recruitment process involving a written examination, demonstration lecture and viva voce. Previously, recruitment in many cases relied primarily on the viva. We have changed that system.
A candidate must first demonstrate academic and subject knowledge through a written examination. Teaching ability is then assessed through a demonstration lecture, followed by the viva.

DO: What is the current faculty shortage?
Vice-Chancellor: According to our approved organogram, around 50 per cent of faculty positions remain vacant. However, more than 200 teachers are currently active in teaching and research. At the same time, more than 50 teachers are pursuing PhDs in the United States, Europe, Australia and other countries.
We are encouraging our teachers to pursue higher education and research abroad because their international experience will contribute to improving the quality of education at BUTEX.

DO: What is the university’s position on campus politics?
Vice-Chancellor: Following the mass uprising, the university syndicate decided to prohibit all forms of political activities by students, teachers, officers and employees on campus. Our primary objective is to ensure a peaceful, safe and academic environment.

DO: How will students develop leadership skills without politics?
Vice-Chancellor: Leadership and social skills can be developed through many activities other than politics. We have around 15 active clubs, including debating, sports and career clubs. Students can develop leadership, communication and teamwork skills through these activities.

We also organise blood donation drives, free eye-testing programmes and various social and healthcare initiatives.

Do: What is the employment situation of BUTEX graduates?
Vice-Chancellor: Our BSc Textile Engineering graduates have a 100 per cent employment rate. In other words, we do not have unemployed graduates. This is a very important achievement for us.
Our graduates are working in buying houses, supply chains, multinational companies and various other sectors. Many are also entering the Bangladesh Civil Service. Around 15 to 20 students secure positions in the administration and police cadres every year. Around 20 per cent of our students go abroad for higher education.

DO: How are BUTEX alumni performing internationally?
Vice-Chancellor: Some of our former students are studying and conducting research at leading global institutions such as Harvard University and MIT. This is a matter of great pride for us.

DO: What is the current state of research at BUTEX?
Vice-Chancellor: Research is one of our highest priorities. More than 200 research papers are published every year in internationally indexed Q1 and Q2 journals.

We are also involving undergraduate students in research, particularly those in their second to fourth years. Our goal is for students to gain experience in publishing two to three research papers before completing their undergraduate degrees. We have also introduced a new department, Textile Materials Engineering, where modern research equipment worth around Tk 30 crore has been installed.

DO: What is your long-term development plan?
Vice-Chancellor: We are working on both short-term and long-term development. Work has begun on a 50-year master plan covering the university’s academic and infrastructural development. The government has allocated Tk 3.12 crore for the master plan and feasibility study.

The plan proposes 15 new academic departments and a second campus in Purbachal. Applications have been submitted to RAJUK and the University Grants Commission regarding the proposed campus.
DO: What is the accommodation situation?
Vice-Chancellor: At present, our four residential halls can accommodate around 35 per cent of students. The situation is particularly difficult for first-year students, as 700 to 800 students are admitted every year.

Construction of a 14-storey building has begun with funding from the Ministry of Finance, with completion targeted for 2028. It will help ease the accommodation shortage.

DO: What kind of university do you want to leave behind?
Vice-Chancellor: My primary goal is to ensure 100 per cent employment for our graduates and sustain that achievement. I also want to make visible improvements in infrastructure.
I want people to say that during my tenure, the university made positive progress in academic activities, research, infrastructure and administration. Most importantly, I want to serve as a fair and impartial administrator.

I was a student of this institution in 1985 and completed my MSc here from 1994 to 1996. Later, I pursued my PhD in Japan from 2000 to 2003 on a government scholarship. So my relationship with BUTEX is not only that of an administrator but also of a former student.

DO: What is your definition of a successful university?
Vice-Chancellor: A university cannot be considered successful simply because it has large buildings, many students or numerous departments. Its success depends on the quality of education, research, human resources, international standing and graduate employment.

We want to build an institution where students complete their degrees on time, conduct international-standard research, acquire professional skills and secure respectable employment after graduation.

Zero unemployment, strong research and visible infrastructural development, these are the three key goals that we are pursuing.