The government’s decision to reduce the 5 percent tax imposed on private universities is seen as an important opportunity for improving the quality of higher education, says Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed, Chairman of the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC), a press release said.
At the same time, he stressed the importance of establishing a research-centric higher education system and building a national research ecosystem to make Bangladesh a regional higher education hub.
He said this while speaking as a special guest at a program organized by the Association of Private Universities (APUB) in the capital on Sunday.
The UGC Chairman said that the 5 percent tax reduction is not just a financial benefit, but an opportunity for quality improvement in higher education. We hope that the universities will spend this money on developing the skills of teachers and students, demand-based education and quality research.
He said that most of the country’s private universities are still mainly teaching-based. They must lead not only in teaching, but also in research. There is no alternative to quality research to solve national problems and build a knowledge-based economy.
Stating that the idea that private universities do not receive government support is not correct, Professor Mamun Ahmed said that Tk 560 crore was allocated for research by private universities under the development budget in the last fiscal year. He commented that the UGC will continue to fund research projects that can play an effective role in solving the country’s problems.
He said that currently about 5 million students are studying in higher education in the country. To develop them as skilled human resources, government and private universities must work together. The UGC does not make any distinction between public and private universities. He mentioned that the role of both types of universities is equally important in national development.
Highlighting the initiative to establish a research-centric higher education system to make Bangladesh a regional higher education hub, the UGC Chairman said that work is underway to build a national research repository and an integrated research ecosystem. He said, “We are building a research ecosystem where it will be possible to determine research priorities, preserve information and avoid repetition of similar research.”
If this initiative is implemented, the interest of foreign students in pursuing higher education in Bangladesh will increase. At the same time, the need for domestic students to go abroad to obtain international quality education will also decrease, he said.
Stating that the current government has placed higher education at the center of the national development strategy, Professor Mamun Ahmed said, “Issues such as building a knowledge-based economy, increasing cooperation between industry and educational institutions, internships and creating entrepreneurs are now part of the national priority.”
Highlighting information on government investment in higher education, he said that about 12 thousand crore taka has been allocated for the country’s 59 public universities and UGC in the current fiscal year. Of this, 238 crore taka has been allocated for research through UGC and a total of 852 crore taka has been allocated for the research sector, including development projects.
Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury was the chief guest at the event. APUB President Md. Sabur Khan, Secretary General Ishtiaq Abedin, Vice Chairman Benazir Ahmed, along with trustees, vice-chancellors and senior officials of private universities.
