BUFT: A university designed to reduce our dependence of foreigners in RMG industry
Originally founded as an institute in 1999, BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology offers courses and degrees designed to cater to the needs of export-oriented RMG industry
In 2009, after completing graduation from Government Titumir College, Rashel Rana was unsure of his next career move. He then found out about BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology (BUFT)--then an institute instead of a full-fledged university--and decided to pursue an MBA degree from there.
Rashel was unsure how it would shape his career but as the garment sector was booming fast at that time, he decided to take a chance. Now, it has been 10 years that he is working in this industry and is quite happy with the career move.
"If I was not working in this sector, I might have been doing some ordinary job. But this institution has changed my career totally. I have learnt a lot about this sector. From training the students for job interviews to creating a brand value, I found this institution always by my side," stated Rashel, manager of Marketing and Merchandising, Khantex Fashions Ltd.
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"In 2009, BUFT did not have enough labs, but it did not affect our learning as it arranged enough industrial visits for us, which helped me to gather firsthand experiences," he added.
From an institute to a university
During the 1990s, a lot of foreigners were working in the country's garments sector. As a result, a huge amount of our money was being repatriated to their respective countries as Bangladesh did not have skilled manpower. This gap continued for ten long years. To find a solution to this problem, BUFT started its journey as a small institute under the name BGMEA Institute of Fashion & Technology in 1999.
Initially, it was funded by BGMEA. Later, under the Private University Act 2010, the institute transformed into a full-fledged university from 2012 and is now being run by a Trustee Board. Its academic programmes are carried out in Nishatnagar, adjacent to Dhaka's Uttara, on a 500,000-square-feet area. Till now, 12,000 students have passed from BUFT and around 6,500 students are currently studying there.
Muzaffar Uddin Siddique, founder chairman, Board of Trustees, BUFT, said, "We noticed that whereas foreigners considered their work simply as a job, our people took it as their responsibility, with a sense of ownership and belongingness. Hence, we decided to build a skilled team who can serve this sector better and take full ownership."
Now, the university is offering 11 undergraduate programmes and three masters programmes. However, it started with only five undergraduate and masters programmes. To cater to the workforce needs in textile, RMG, and fashion industries in Bangladesh, BUFT offers four-year undergraduate courses in Textile Engineering, Textile Engineering and Management, Industrial Engineering, Apparel Manufacturing and Merchandising, Knitwear Manufacturing, Fashion Studies, Fashion Design and Technology, Business, Environmental Science and English.
It takes around Tk4 lakh to Tk6 lakh to complete graduation under different faculties. There are scopes for waiver and scholarships too, based on students' academic results and financial situation.
"It is the best textile university in Bangladesh for Textile, Apparel, Fashion, Industrial Engineering, English, Environment Science programme, I believe," Muzaffar added.
BUFT also offers graduate degrees in Business Administration, Textile Engineering, and Fashion Design. Moreover, certificate courses are offered in Apparel, Knit, Woven and Sweater Merchandising.
"We have noticed our graduates are most preferred in the garments industry. That is why they are usually hired before completing their studies," claimed Ayub Nabi Khan, pro-vice-chancellor of BUFT.
Courses designed to meet industrial needs
The trustee board of BUFT consists of 21 philanthropists, renowned industrialists and educationalists. So, they closely understand the sector and its market demand. As per demands and their suggestions, BUFT keeps updating and including new courses in the curriculum.
"A rapid change is happening in the usage of technology and the fourth industrial revolution is right here. Keeping all these in mind, we have introduced courses like green environment, workers' facilities and corporate social responsibility (CSR), as these are demanding in the market too," Ayub added.
SM Mahfuzur Rahman, vice-chancellor of BUFT, said, "We do not only update the curriculum but also collaborate with internationally renowned universities of Australia, the UK, China, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Germany, Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. It helps students think globally."
Through this collaboration, every year, many BUFT students are pursuing their undergraduate, MSc, and PhD studies at partner institutions with full scholarships and tuition waivers.
"The technical education at this institution is quite advanced. Graduates are joining the garment industry as entrepreneurs, merchandisers and policymakers. They are also designing new products and formulating policies with foreign companies while working as merchandisers. Earlier, we had to hire expats as merchandisers and technical people, as we did not have skilled manpower," voiced Faruque Hassan, president-elect of BGMEA.
"But that number has notably decreased now, due to our BUFT graduates. It has simultaneously reduced the amount of money earned by the foreigners," he added.
Faruque believes, in this technological era, BUFT should focus more on technical education. Hence, he suggested introducing more technical, textile, and fashion-related subjects, like jewellery design, export, and production, instead of fundamental subjects.
Along with prioritising technical education, BUFT is also ensuring students' development and quality of education. And, these are strictly maintained by monitoring students, focusing on their learning and academic results.
While sharing her experience, Jannatul Nisa, a third-year student of Business Administration, echoed what Faruque said.
"I am majoring in Apparel Merchandising from BBA, which is only available in this university. I am pretty satisfied with our faculties, curriculum and lab facilities. Our faculties are open to teach us new things and inspire us to gain professional experience. We have a good bond with our alumni members who also support us to shape our career. I am hoping to start my career in a year and serve this industry," she said.
