UGC to provide soft skills training for university students

The Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC) has taken an initiative to introduce short-term soft skills training programmes to enhance university students' employability and job-ready skills.

The initiatives were announced today (9 July) at an exchange meeting held at the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project office to prepare the outline of the training programmes.

The commission has also planned to launch a "Professional Knowledge Sharing Programme" for university vice-chancellors, pro-vice-chancellors and treasurers.

UGC Chairman Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed said work is underway to finalise the outline of the soft skills training programme for students within the next three months.

Students from all universities across the country will gradually be brought under the programme, he said.

He also said the initiative has been taken as part of the government's priority to improve students' employability, ethics and life-oriented skills.

A two-day "Professional Knowledge Sharing Programme" for university vice-chancellors, pro-vice-chancellors and treasurers may begin next month to strengthen the capacity of university administrations.

The programme will cover various areas of higher education administration, including strategic leadership, good governance, university management and financial management.

The UGC chairman said an initiative has been taken to involve vice-chancellors of different universities around the world and former vice-chancellors from Bangladesh in the programme.

Through this, university administrators in Bangladesh will have the opportunity to gain experience in international higher education management, he said.

An initiative has also been taken to introduce a seven-day capacity development training programme for associate professors and professors of universities, he added.

The plan is targeted to be finalised within this month in line with the government's priorities and current realities.