Prime Minister inaugurates workshop on higher education at DU

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday inaugurated a three-day national workshop focused on building a modern, inclusive and sustainable higher education system in Bangladesh.

Titled “Transforming Higher Education in Bangladesh: Roadmap to Sustainable Excellence,” the workshop commenced at 10:00am at the Nawab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban of University of Dhaka.

The event began with recitations from the Holy Quran and other religious scriptures, followed by a one-minute silence in memory of those martyred during the July-August mass uprising.

Organised by the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh, the inaugural session was chaired by UGC Chairman Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed, who presented a commemorative crest to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on behalf of the commission.

Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon and the Prime Minister’s Education Adviser Dr Mahdi Amin attended the programme as special guests.

The workshop brought together policymakers, UGC members, vice-chancellors of public and private universities, academics, researchers, lawmakers, diplomats, industry representatives and other stakeholders.

According to the UGC, the recommendations emerging from the workshop will contribute to formulating a practical policy roadmap for the advancement of higher education in Bangladesh.

Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed said the workshop is expected to play a significant role in improving the quality of higher education and developing internationally competitive skilled human resources. He added that the commission would continue supporting the government in shaping future plans and policy directions for the sector.

Following the inaugural session, five technical sessions were scheduled to be held.

Key discussions will centre on graduate employability, soft skills and demand-oriented education; collaboration between industry and academia alongside global competitiveness; digital transformation, digital literacy and the integration of artificial intelligence; faculty development, research excellence and internationalisation; as well as governance, quality assurance and institutional reforms.