Though the number of students is not increasing with the growing number of universities in Bangladesh, efforts to secure permission to open branches, sub-branches and study centres of foreign universities are going on fast.
Terming such efforts “an extreme form of commercialization”, academicians and entrepreneurs fear that this will result in a student crisis in the new-generation public universities, while the private universities will lag behind.
Experts say the conditions under which foreign institutions are allowed to run academic activities are meant for coaching centres.
Recently, a Malaysian university has been permitted to open a “branch campus” in Bangladesh. Moreover, an attempt is underway to secure approval for a Chinese university, which is currently operating in Malaysia.
Looming crisis
The University Grant Commission (UGC) has not given permission to any foreign university branch to conduct educational programs in Bangladesh.
In this situation, the entrepreneurs of private universities have expressed dissatisfaction with the efforts of so-called foreign universities.
They say none other than eight to ten private universities are getting the authorized number of students. For that, the universities are facing financial crises.
Besides, public university teachers say if failed to survive the competition, the new public universities will also have many seats vacant.
According to UGC sources, China's Xiamen University has a branch campus in Malaysia. Now a group is trying to launch a sub-branch (sub-campus or study centre) of the university in Bangladesh.
Earlier, Malaysia's UCSI University got approval to run academic programs in Bangladesh.
In addition, it is learned that efforts are being made to launch the activities of eight to ten non-famous foreign universities through branches or sub-branch campuses.
Growing concerns
An entrepreneur who wants to open a branch campus of a foreign university in the country, on the condition of anonymity, said approvals are given considering the face value of the initiators.
“Institutions that are among the top 200 in the world are not being approved. On the other hand, institutions without good reputations are getting approval, which will create unskilled manpower and speed up the commercialization of education. Higher education will not expand this way,” he said.
President of the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh (APUB) Sheikh Kabir Hossain said: "We have been opposing such moves to allow branch campuses and study centres. The UGC has not allowed foreign universities to run educational programs.
“Only the Education Ministry's approval will not work. We have appealed to the ministry and the UGC to prevent the commercialization of education.”
Malaysia's UCSI University was given the approval to operate a study centre, and its operations were inaugurated on Thursday, March 2, 2023 Bangla TribuneHe said study centers of foreign universities were approved though there is no such need. The UGC inspected the study centres and closed them down previously. “But now I see such centres are getting approved one after another.
“Private universities operate as non-profit institutions. But it does not need anything to open branches of foreign universities in this country. Their activities can be run in a room. Study centres are profitable institutions; they will do business and the money will be sent abroad.”
He said the association submitted a written objection to the government expressing its concerns.
“Approving branches of foreign universities is a conspiracy because there is no need for this. This will cause unlimited damage to higher education. There will be certificate trading. It should stop,” the APUB president added.
According to UGC Member Professor Dr Md Alamgir, study centres are like coaching centres and unnecessary. “Such efforts are creating scopes for business but questioning the country's education system.
“Had the country's higher education been so poor, then a branch campus of Oxford or Cambridge University can be opened. Then a comparison can be made.”
He also mentioned that the UGC had not allowed any foreign university to run academic activities in branch campuses or study centres.
Former vice chancellor of Jagannath University Prof Dr Mizanur Rahman said: "If renowned foreign universities are interested, the competition will increase. If they maintain their standards, the quality of higher education will increase. In that case, the public and private universities that are doing well will survive. Public universities that do not do well will not get students.”
Bitter experience
There are complaints that some foreign universities have been operating illegally in the country for a long time under various names. Cases of fraud, sale of certificates, random sub-campus rent and human trafficking incidents have also occurred in the name of the development of higher education.
In 2007, the government blacklisted 56 institutions that used names of foreign universities and issued a notice in the newspaper on such allegations. After that, proposals for setting up foreign university campuses, branches, study centres and some foreign full-fledged universities in the country were submitted to the UGC and the Education Ministry.
On February 25, 2010, the ministry permitted a study centre of Malaysia's Monash College, which goes against the laws of the country as the legal framework allows only branch campuses of foreign universities but no study centres. However, the rules formulated in 2014 mention the operation of study centres.
As per the rules, approval of the UGC is required for conducting academic activities in study centres. In light of this, two institutions have already received approval.
However, there are controversies centering on the rules. The process of revising the rules has been going on for several years. In the meantime, approval has been given to operate the study centre of Malaysia's UCSI University. Its operations were inaugurated on March 2.
Earlier, the study centre of Monash College (Australia) was approved in February 2021.
According to UGC sources, the total number of private universities in the country was around 55 in 2007 and it has risen to 108. At the same time, the number of public universities is also increasing. In total, there are more than 150 universities. Besides, the government has decided to establish at least one public university in every district.
Students not increasing
A total of 1,011,987 students have come out successfully in the HSC and equivalent exams of 2022. These students will now be admitted to honours and the same level.
While there are about 1.4 million seats for honours, degree pass courses and equivalent level, at least 400,000 seats may remain vacant in higher education institutions.
In 2020, a total of 1,367,377 students passed HSC and equivalent exams under special assessment during the Covid-19 pandemic. The number was 1,306,681 in 2021. These students were admitted to higher education in 2022.
According to UGC sources, about 900,000 students were admitted to various institutions last year, which is about 65% of the passed students. The same year more than 1,000 seats were vacant in different public universities.
