Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said that the country’s universities have yet to attain the expected position in global rankings in terms of research and academic excellence

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday said Bangladesh’s universities have yet to achieve the expected position in global rankings in terms of education, research and academic excellence.

He made the remarks while addressing a workshop titled “Transforming Higher Education in Bangladesh” as the chief guest at University of Dhaka on Tuesday morning.

The prime minister said global university rankings place greater emphasis on research publications, citations and innovation, and stressed the need for Bangladesh to improve in those areas.

“In global rankings, research publications, citations and innovation are usually given greater importance. Our educationists should reflect more on where we stand in these areas. If universities remain confined to textbook-based education and fail to focus on research and innovation, it will be difficult for us to survive in the competitive world,” he said.

Tarique Rahman said a democratic government had been established in Bangladesh after more than one and a half decades through the sacrifices of thousands of people.

He said the government, being accountable to the people, aims to build a safe and secure Bangladesh for both present and future generations.

“The current democratic government wants to establish a knowledge-based and merit-based state and society. The key foundation for such a society is creating an environment where education, research, merit, qualification and creativity receive the highest priority,” he said.

“Through our collective efforts, we want to build an education system that will enlighten both present and future Bangladesh. For a prosperous future, we must embrace technological excellence.”

At the same time, he stressed the importance of preserving the country’s long-standing religious, social and moral values.

“In this regard, I urge teachers, journalists, intellectuals, professionals and people from all walks of life to remain cautious and vigilant,” he added.

Tarique also said Bangladesh must move away from a memorisation-based and certificate-oriented education system to meet the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and adapt to the evolving global job market.

He noted that in many countries, including United Kingdom, university alumni actively support research and innovation activities at their alma maters.