Quality higher education a must for Smart Bangladesh

In recent years, global university rankings have become increasingly influential in shaping the perceptions and competitiveness of higher education institutions worldwide. For Bangladesh, like many other countries, the position of its universities in these rankings has been a matter of concern and scrutiny.

Despite notable progress in various sectors for example- digitalization, quality education, ICT education, and innovation, Bangladeshi universities have struggled to secure prominent positions in recognized global university rankings. Many tasks lie ahead to enhance the quality and status of the universities of Bangladesh in the journey towards a developed and Smart Bangladesh.

University education and Smart Bangladesh

Bangladesh, with its rich cultural heritage and growing economy, has set ambitious goals for its development journey, aiming to transform into a prosperous and SMART nation by 2041. Central to this vision is the pivotal role played by both public and private universities in driving innovation, fostering human capital development, and contributing to the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

• Human capital development: Public and private universities in Bangladesh serve as hubs for knowledge creation, skill development, and talent cultivation. By offering diverse academic programs, research opportunities, and experiential learning initiatives, universities equip students with the skills and competencies necessary to thrive in a dynamic global economy.
• Research and innovation: Universities serve as engines of innovation, driving research and development activities across various sectors. Through collaborative research projects, technology transfer initiatives, and entrepreneurship programs, universities contribute to the creation of new knowledge, technologies, and solutions that address societal challenges and drive economic growth.
• Industry collaboration: By collaborating with businesses, universities facilitate industry-relevant research, internships, and training programs, fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship that fuels economic progress. Universities that foster innovation not only generate novel ideas and technologies but also facilitate their translation into real-world applications and products.
• Workforce development: Universities produce a skilled workforce equipped with the expertise and capabilities needed to drive growth in key sectors such as information technology, engineering, healthcare, and finance. By providing industry-aligned education and professional development opportunities, universities enhance the employability of graduates and contribute to the expansion of Bangladesh's knowledge-based economy.
• Economic impact: The collective contribution of public and private universities to Bangladesh's GDP is significant, encompassing direct contributions from research activities, tuition fees, and intellectual property commercialization, as well as indirect contributions through enhanced productivity, innovation, and employment opportunity creation across various sectors.

Ranking status at present

At present, there are 56 public universities and 114 private universities. Though some of the prominent universities in Bangladesh namely University of Dhaka, University of Rajshahi, Jahangirnagar University, Jagannath University, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Bangladesh Agriculture University (BAU), Brac University, North South University and some other universities have the potential to be in good positions in world rankings, they have consistently ranked lower in global university rankings compared to their counterparts in neighbouring countries and beyond.

In prominent rankings such as the QS World University Rankings, Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), Bangladeshi universities often fail to secure positions within the top 500 or even 1000 institutions. Several factors contribute to the relatively low rankings of Bangladeshi universities:

• Lack of research output: One of the primary criteria for global rankings is research output, including publications in reputed journals and citations. Bangladeshi universities often struggle to produce research of international standards due to limited funding, inadequate research facilities, and a shortage of qualified researchers.
• Infrastructure and facilities: Inadequate infrastructure, outdated laboratory equipment, and insufficient resources hinder research and academic activities, impacting the quality of education and research outcomes.
• Faculty development and retention: Challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified faculty members, particularly those with international exposure and research experience, affect the overall academic excellence of universities.
• Funding and investment: Insufficient funding for higher education and research, both from the government and private sectors, constrains universities' ability to undertake innovative projects, attract talent, and upgrade facilities.
• Curriculum and teaching methods: Traditional teaching methods and poor curriculum frameworks may fail to meet the evolving needs of the globalized knowledge economy, leading to a gap in educational quality and job market demand. The lack of emphasis on research courses is also responsible for the present condition.

UGC’s role in innovation, research in universities

In 1973, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, revered as the Father of the Nation, established the University Grants Commission (UGC) to serve as the primary body overseeing higher education in Bangladesh. The UGC is responsible for allocating funds, maintaining quality standards, and guiding the development of the country's higher education institutions.

Additionally, the UGC is essential in advancing higher education's globalization, innovation, and research. UGC also works to establish and uphold standards for instruction, testing, research, curriculum, faculty, infrastructure, and administration in higher education facilities. Apart from this, it offers scholarships, fellowships, rewards, and incentives to university students, teachers, researchers, and administrators.

For instance, esteemed university teachers are awarded the 'UGC Gold Medal' for publishing research-oriented books and research journals. Additionally, arrangements are made to award the 'Prime Minister's Gold Medal' to meritorious students for their academic achievements.

What to do to improve ranking

As Bangladesh aspires to elevate the positions of its universities in global rankings, drawing insights from the success stories of top-ranked institutions worldwide can provide valuable guidance and inspiration. By emulating the strategies and best practices adopted by leading universities in the UK, the USA, Japan, and other countries, Bangladeshi universities can enhance their competitiveness, reputation, and academic excellence on the world stage. Here, we explore key steps that universities in Bangladesh can take to improve their rankings, guided by the experiences of renowned institutions from around the globe.

Invest in research and innovation:

• Emphasize the importance of research by allocating substantial funding and resources to support faculty-led research projects across diverse disciplines.
• Establish research centres of excellence and foster interdisciplinary collaboration to address complex societal challenges and drive impactful discoveries.
• Encourage a culture of innovation by promoting entrepreneurship, providing incubation support for startups, and facilitating technology transfer initiatives.

Strengthen international collaboration:

• Forge strategic partnerships with top-ranked universities abroad to facilitate faculty and student exchange programs, joint research initiatives, and collaborative projects.
• Engage in international research networks and consortia to leverage expertise, share best practices, and access global funding opportunities for collaborative research endeavours.

• Cultivate a diverse and inclusive academic environment by welcoming international students, scholars, and researchers to enrich the campus community with diverse perspectives and experiences. Seminars on research should be arranged by the university authorities regularly.

Enhance teaching and learning excellence:

• Prioritize pedagogical innovation and student-centred learning approaches to enhance the quality and effectiveness of teaching across all academic programs.
• Provide professional development opportunities for faculty members to enhance their teaching skills, integrate technology into the curriculum, and adopt evidence-based teaching practices.
• Implement robust assessment and feedback mechanisms to continuously evaluate and improve teaching quality, student learning outcomes, and academic program effectiveness.
• Courses on empirical research and thesis should be prioritized at under-graduation and post-graduation levels.
• Rich library is a prerequisite for any university education. The library should contain not only all types of latest paper books but also students should be able to use computers and internet to read journal articles and eBooks sitting in libraries. This is why, the libraries should be modernised by the authorities.
• Students should have access to paid journals through their institutional identity and the university should pay for the journals so that students can use the resources online free of charge.
• Students should be able to use modern technology needed for research.

Focus on graduate employability and industry relevance:

• Collaborate closely with industry partners to develop curriculum pathways that align with industry needs, foster relevant skills development, and enhance graduate employability.
• Offer internship, co-op, and experiential learning opportunities that provide students with real-world industry exposure, practical skills development, and networking opportunities. For example, Stanford University in the USA exemplifies this synergy between academia and industry, with its Silicon Valley location serving as a hotbed for entrepreneurial activity and technology commercialization. Stanford's close ties with the tech industry have led to the creation of numerous successful start-ups and groundbreaking innovations that have reshaped entire industries.
• Establish career services and placement offices to provide personalized career counselling, job placement support, and alumni networking resources to enhance post-graduation outcomes.

Promote institutional excellence and governance:

• Strengthen governance structures and institutional leadership to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective decision-making processes that support academic excellence and institutional advancement.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement by implementing quality assurance mechanisms, conducting regular institutional assessments, and benchmarking against international standards and best practices.
• Cultivate a sense of pride, loyalty, and community among faculty, staff, students, and alumni through effective communication, engagement, and recognition initiatives that celebrate institutional achievements and successes.
• Students should be inspired to maintain morality in terms of research work in under-graduation and post-graduation programmes. Plagiarism should be checked properly with modern Artificial Intelligence.

It can be said that by adopting a strategic and holistic approach informed by the experiences of top-ranked universities globally, Bangladeshi universities can make significant strides towards improving their positions in world university rankings. Through concerted efforts to invest in research and innovation, strengthen international collaboration, enhance teaching and learning excellence, focus on graduate employability, and promote institutional excellence and governance, Bangladeshi universities can elevate their profiles, enhance their impact, and contribute meaningfully to the country's socio-economic development, academic excellence and global recognition on the world stage in the years to come.

Md Sazzad Hossain, PhD is a distinguished senior professor, researcher, and academic teaching advisor with extensive experience in ICT sector and a prominent writer. Currently, he is working as a full-time member of the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC). He is also a director of Bangladesh Satellite Company Ltd. He is the founding president of Education, Research and Development Forum Bangladesh and Vice President of Amrai Digital Bangladesh Foundation.