Universities in Bangladesh need to refocus their concept of teaching and learning. The Problem-based or project based approach to teaching and learning has become crucial as against former way of trying to pump knowledge and skills into learners from the lecturer's old notes and materials. University students should be encouraged to discover information by themselves with the lecturers as the facilitator. The information to be discovered should aim at solving real life societal problems and must add up to the students’ knowledge. Doing so would encourage creative thinking and innovation among the learners and at the same time address workplace challenges and aim at solving problems. This approach is working very well in most Universities of the world that have adopted the system, but this is not happening in Bangladesh.
For the new generation we need at least one sound and sustainable University in the country. In addition to economy, infrastructure, leadership and dedicated staff members, there is a great need for basic educational competence among the professors and other teaching staff. Not only theories, but practical expertise using technology, media and communication is also very important.
The main problem so far identified in both the public and private universities is the management and governance which prevents any possibility of institutionalization or re-organization. There is an urgent need to approach transformation to modern systems at different levels such as the top (management), in the middle (educators) and the bottom (learners). In the universities, constant supply of Electricity, Connectivity and Access to information must get top priorities. In addition to that an Effective University Leadership is urgently needed at the present crisis when both the management and governance are going to lose their moralities. We should focus on the future we dream of, rather than try to analyse the problems we have. It is true that there is a fundamental problem within the leadership of most Universities but this is nothing but lack of knowledge on how to transform their universities to the next level. This is not a very difficult task to overcome. The chairman or head of the respective department knows the lacks in her/his department. He can play very important role to shape his department. Connecting them all together will bring tremendous result to the academic atmosphere of the university.
At the present situation of higher education in Bangladesh, the effective steps should be taken for its development based on the following issues. Capacity development: Senior academics have earned knowledge and experience and they don't need to prove their academic credentials to anyone so they have more time and energy to focus on improving teaching. Young academics have some familiarity with a range of technologies but often face immense pressures because they want to teach lots of new things that are emerging out every day. They try to spend time to improving their courses.
What is the Vision of Universities for the next generation in Bangladesh? How the universities for new generation will look like? We would like to see all the universities in Bangladesh as places for real learning and real research, where innovative ideas will emerge giving birth to cutting edge solutions to national problems. University will be a platform where academics from other universities all over the world would love to collaborate with, visit and exchange ideas, knowledge and skills with their colleagues in Bangladesh. There will not be any kind of strike action by lecturers, non academic staff or students over dissatisfying working conditions. It is expected to be a place where ground breaking research ideas would have emerged in the areas of energy, environment, science, technology, education, agriculture and community developments. The best brains that left the country for lack of opportunities will come back and join the universities in Bangladesh where prosperity, good education, good governance, tolerance of one another will be the main attraction.
The University will no longer be confined to a given geographical area but it will be like a place, forum, centre, club or institution where those who share a love for learning come together to utilize resources and share experiences. The University education will be an opportunity and not an obligation. There is no end to it even if one is already qualified or educated. Despite all this, the University shall be committed to excellence in study, teaching, research and management. It will provide academic freedom for researchers and teachers as well as equal opportunity in education and employment. The University should be efficient in use of resources and strive to provide universal access to education. The University should aspire to promote intellectual and social development as well.
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