The government has announced plans to establish Dhaka Central University, a new public university to be developed in four phases by integrating seven major public colleges in Dhaka under a unified academic and administrative structure.
The initiative, announced at a joint press conference yesterday by the Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission (UGC), aims to introduce a hybrid and interdisciplinary learning model while continuing existing higher secondary (HSC) programs at five of the colleges.
Officials said the new university is being established in response to students’ long-standing demands for timely exams, academic stability, and institutional reform.
According to the plan, the university will initially operate across the existing campuses of Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Government Titumir College, Begum Badrunnesa Mohila College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, and Government Bangla College.
Academic activities will be grouped into four schools: the School of Sciences for Dhaka College, Eden, and Badrunnesa, School of Arts and Humanities, School of Business Studies for Titumir College, and School of Law and Justice for Kabi Nazrul and Suhrawardy.
The proposed university will follow a 60:40 hybrid teaching model, with 60 % of classes held offline and the remaining 40 % delivered online. However, all examinations will be conducted in-person.
The undergraduate program will span eight semesters, where students will study non-major interdisciplinary courses in the first four semesters. From the fifth semester, they will choose a discipline based on performance, though campus transfers will not be allowed.
UGC Member Prof Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan said the curriculum is modeled on global best practices, with flexibility for students to shift disciplines mid-course, though he acknowledged there may not be a direct precedent for such a structure.
A governing framework comprising an Academic Council, Senate, and Syndicate will oversee the university. One chief proctor and fourteen deputy proctors—one male and one female in each college—will be appointed to manage student affairs and ensure discipline.
Five of the seven colleges will retain their HSC-level education, which will operate alongside university programs through a "time-space-resource sharing" approach. Current students enrolled under Dhaka University will complete their degrees as per the existing academic framework.
Authorities have pledged to reduce session jams, ensure timely examinations, and expedite result publication.
Recruitment of faculty, officers, and staff will be handled centrally. University-level teachers will be appointed under new university regulations, while education cadre officials will continue to serve the HSC programmes. Each campus will be equipped with updated libraries, cafeterias, medical centres, and transport services.
All administrative functions—including admission, registration, and academic applications—will be digitized and integrated into a centralized IT system. New students will be provided with laptops and low-cost internet access to facilitate hybrid learning.
UGC Chairman Prof Dr SM A Faiaz told the press that the reform effort was based on feedback from students. “We’ve designed the model with their needs in mind. Every college is being treated equally—this is not only about Dhaka College,” he said.
The government expects to pass an ordinance within the year to legally establish the university. A tripartite agreement among the Ministry of Education, UGC, and the new university will follow, after which a vice-chancellor and senior officials will be appointed.
The seven colleges, once under National University, were brought under Dhaka University in 2017. But with DU formally pulling out in January 2025, citing administrative burdens, the government stepped in to create a new institutional framework.
