A recent report by the University Grants Commission states that an increasing number of foreign students have come to Bangladesh to pursue higher studies. This is wonderful news for us, and indicative of a welcome trend that we would like to see continue.
The usual trend is of Bangladeshi students going overseas to study, with only a few international students studying in Bangladesh, but this is slowly changing.
In fact, there are more than 1600 international students enrolled in our universities, with 28 out of 71 private universities boasting foreign students. This seems to be a reflection of the attractive and perhaps improving quality of education in our country that is drawing students to our shores.
According to the report, the institutions have come up with market-oriented strategies, more practical courses and advanced learning tools for an overall better studying experience.
Having foreign students in our universities will open up opportunities for all students to learn firsthand from each other about different cultures and ways of life and will undoubtedly enhance the educational experience.
Our universities should be centres of excellence, and indeed, other universities should take a page out of their books to develop their own facilities and programmes, thereby offering the best education possible to all of their students.