Staff Correspondent 

In a bid to increase the number of foreign students pursuing higher education in Bangladesh, Siddiqur Zobair, Senior Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division under the Ministry of Education, has emphasized the need for ensuring quality education across all universities.

He made the remarks while addressing a workshop as the chief guest on “Regional Cooperation in Higher Education: Student Exchange, Teacher Training and Research ' held on Tuesday at a hotel in the city under the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) Project, implemented by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The Senior Secretary saud, Bangladesh has numerous public, private, and specialized universities. Unless these institutions can ensure quality education, it will be difficult to attract a significant number of international students. He also stressed the need to enhance the research environment within universities. “Improving research standards can help our universities achieve respectable positions in international rankings, he added.

Presided over by UGC Chairman Prof. Dr. S M A Faiz, the workshop was also attended by UGC members Prof. Dr. Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Anwar Hossain, and Prof. Dr. Md. Saidur Rahman. Additional Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Education Md. Humayun Kabir and World Bank Senior Education Specialist T M Asaduzzaman also spoke on the occasion.

In his presidential address, Prof. Faiz noted that the UGC is working tirelessly to ensure quality higher education in the country. However, he pointed out that, compared to other SAARC nations, Bangladeshi university teachers receive inadequate salaries and benefits. He urged the government to allocate more budget for the education and research sectors to help the country progress in these areas.

Educationists and researchers participating in the workshop recommended several measures to strengthen regional cooperation in higher education. These include:

Maintaining regular academic sessions at universities,Inviting foreign students for higher education and research opportunities,Establishing a dedicated regional higher education desk at the Ministry of Education.Setting up international offices within universities,Introducing policies for student exchange, credit transfer, and joint degrees.,Expanding fellowship opportunities.Facilitating visiting professor programs in both local and SAARC universities.Launching academic exchange programmes between public and private universities,Bringing all academic programmes under accreditationImplementing talent-search initiatives for research,Establishing multiple world-class research institutions for fundamental research,Reviving the SAARC scholarship programme for students from SAARC nations.

World Bank South Asia Lead Economist Dr. Harsha Aturupane and HEAT Project Director Prof. Dr. Asaduzzaman highlighted various dimensions of regional cooperation in higher education.