UGC plans to connect overseas Bangladeshi academics with local universities

The University Grants Commission (UGC) plans to engage Bangladeshi academics and researchers working abroad, along with international scholars, in teaching and research at universities across the country through a virtual platform over the next two years.

UGC Chairman Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed announced the initiative while speaking at a discussion titled "BdREN-Cambridge University Press Collaboration: Pathways Towards Global Knowledge" in Dhaka today (22 July).

He said the programme is part of the UGC's broader efforts to digitally transform higher education and ensure that students across the country have equal access to quality teaching and research opportunities.

"Our goal is to ensure that no university falls behind because of its geographical location," he added.

According to the UGC chairman, the initiative will be implemented jointly by the UGC, the Bangladesh Research and Education Network (BdREN) and the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) Project.

He also said all 180 universities in the country would gradually be brought under an integrated digital ecosystem.

Over the next two years, universities will be equipped with high-speed internet, campus-wide Wi-Fi, smart classrooms, digital libraries and expanded access to international research databases and electronic resources, he mentioned.

Ahmed said the initiative would also establish a sustainable institutional framework to ensure these services continue after the HEAT project ends.

He expressed hope that the programme would enable newer and remote universities to access world-class digital resources while allowing faculty members across institutions to strengthen academic collaboration through online platforms.