UK Minister for Asia and the Pacific, Mark Field, is set to visit Bangladesh to discuss how the UK can support and develop the country's higher education sector.
Field is due to arrive on Friday on a two-day visit. He will be the first UK government minister to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since her re-election in the December 30 polls, reports UNB.
He will hold discussions on how the UK can continue to support Bangladesh—as Bangladesh establishes itself as a middle-income country—plus on issues concerning governance and media freedom.
The minister will also discuss how UK degree programs can be run in Bangladesh through branch campuses—with the approval of the University Grants Commission and the Education Ministry— according to the British High Commission in Dhaka.
Discussions with a number of UK universities and local institutions are already taking place and the minister will talk about how the process can be streamlined, the High Commission says.
Bangladesh's transition to middle-income status shows how the country has been making rapid progress, Field said in a statement.
"Ensuring the economic success story continues means investing in its workforce and improving access to high-quality tertiary education," he continued. "This is an area where the two countries can clearly work together for mutual benefit."
During his visit, the minister will also meet with the Bangladesh cricket team, ahead of England hosting the Cricket World Cup.