Dhaka: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA) and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) to establish the Institute of Frontier Technology (IFT) on the BUET campus. The partnership aims to address the skill gap between industry and academia.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the agreement was formalized under the Bangladesh Institute of Frontier Technology's Initial Infrastructure Construction (1st Amendment) Project. The signing ceremony took place at the InterContinental Hotel in the capital, with BUET Vice-Chancellor and the Managing Director of the Hi-Tech Park representing their respective institutions.
The IFT will offer a wide range of courses including Machine Learning, AI, Internet of Robotics Things, Micro-fabrication, Blockchain, Technological Ethics, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Neurotechnology, Data Science, Cyber Security, Hyper-Automation, and more. The initiative aims to equip students with skills relevant to the evolving technological landscape.
Chief Adviser's Special Assistant to the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, emphasized the need to bridge the gap between industry and academia. He noted that the move to BUET is strategic, given the institution's resources and successes in various engineering disciplines.
Taiyeb highlighted the advantage of not requiring new land acquisition for the IFT, and the importance of leveraging BUET's existing infrastructure. He envisioned short-term, medium-term, and long-term curricula designed to meet industry needs, a feat not typically achievable within conventional university frameworks.
The project aims to complete its physical infrastructure in two years, with a total target of four years to enhance course offerings and academic operations. During this period, ICT and BHTPA will collaborate closely with BUET, setting a course of action based on accumulated experience.
BUET Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Abu Borhan Mohammad Badruzzaman expressed gratitude for the collaborative opportunity, while BUET Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Abdul Hasib Chowdhury stressed the need for dynamic institutions to keep pace with rapidly changing frontier technologies.
The ceremony was attended by key officials including ICT Division Secretary Shish Haider Chowdhury, BHTPA Managing Director AKM Amirul Islam, and Project Director Dr. Md. Mmnsur Alam.