Invest more in higher education sector
Speakers tell policy dialogue
More investment is needed in the higher education sector as tertiary level education plays the key role in shaping the country's socio-economic development, stressed speakers at a programme yesterday.
They also said the local universities will have to contribute through their public engagement to build a knowledge-based society.
They made the observations at a Bangladesh policy dialogue on “Building Bridges between Universities and Communities” jointly organised by British Council and University Grants Commissions (UGC) in a city hotel.
The dialogue marked the closing of the three-day regional dialogue on the same theme that began on Wednesday.
UGC Chairman Prof Dr A K Azad Chowdhury said Bangladesh does not have enough knowledge generation and skilled manpower and the society needs more of them from the universities.
Universities have a major responsibility to contribute to the society through their public engagement, he said adding that, knowledge acquired through laboratory or research should be linked with the society for welfare of the common people.
Mentioning that allocation to the country's higher education sector in terms of GDP percentage is meagre, he emphasised on increasing the allocation.
There is no alternative to tertiary level skilled manpower for the socio-economic development of a country, he added.
The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam said mindset of the country's policy makers, politicians and other stakeholders need to be changed with regard to financial allocation and policy level for higher education.
Time has come for investing more in the higher education sector, he added.
Academicians, vice-chancellors of different universities, UGC members, and civil society members, were present at the programme among others.
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