Dhaka: The Education Ministry has urged the University Grants Commission (UGC) to enhance the quality of higher education in the country to attract more foreign students and improve global university rankings. "If we fail to ensure quality education in our universities-public, private, and specialized-foreign students will not be interested in studying here," said Siddik Zoabir, senior secretary of the secondary and higher education division, while speaking as chief guest at a workshop here today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the workshop was organized under the UGC's Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project. UGC Chairman Professor Dr. S M A Faiz presided over the programme. Prof. Faiz stated that the UGC is working to improve the quality of education and demanded the government increase budget allocations for education and research.
UGC member Dr. Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Anwar Hossain, and World Bank senior education specialist TM Asaduzzaman spoke at the workshop, among others. They emphasized the need for academic exchange programs, simplified admission procedures for foreign students, and institutional partnerships to strengthen international collaboration.
University faculties, researchers, and officials from the Education Ministry, the UGC, and the HEAT project attended the meeting.