The University Grants Commission (UGC) plans to increase the number of its PhD scholarships fivefold to 500 from the next fiscal year to help address the shortage of qualified university teachers and strengthen research capacity in the country.
UGC Chairman Professor Dr Mamun Ahmed announced the plan at the commission’s 179th full meeting on Monday.
He said the number of UGC-funded PhD scholarships had already increased from 75 to 100, and the commission now plans to raise it to 500 from the next fiscal year.
The commission has also increased opportunities for PhD studies abroad from 10 to 35, while it is working to expand postdoctoral fellowship opportunities.
The UGC will further propose a special government allocation for PhD and postdoctoral research in the next fiscal year, Mamun Ahmed said.
He said expanding opportunities for both domestic and overseas PhD studies was necessary to address the shortage of qualified teachers at universities.
The UGC chairman also stressed the need to develop skilled researchers, modern research infrastructure and sustainable research funding, while encouraging greater collaboration between Bangladeshi and international researchers.
He called for university research to be more closely linked to real-world problems, industry and the economy through stronger university-industry partnerships and joint research initiatives.
Future research funding would be more strategic and results-oriented, with priority given to universities that make effective contributions to research, innovation and the knowledge-based economy, he added.
The commission also approved the UGC Promotional and Academic Staff Development Research Project Policy, 2026 at the meeting.
UGC members Professor Dr Masuma Habib, Professor Md Mehedi Hasan Khan, Professor Dr Md Aslam Hossain and Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Chowdhury, along with vice-chancellors of different universities and relevant UGC officials, attended the meeting.