Thousands of students are coming from the villages to the capital city for earning university degrees. Besides public universities, there are 45 private universities with more than two hundred campuses at different locations of the Dhaka city. The important point to note is that the private universities have no hostels or halls for the students. As such the students are bound to live in very unhygienic atmospheres in the city. The students mainly come from poor and middle class farmer families. Tuition fees in the private universities being very high, many guardians cannot afford to continue their kids’ higher education in private universities. Because of large number of universities and other educational institutions in the residential areas, the inhabitants of the locality have become fed up with the present education systems in the country. Traffic system is also the critical problem due to the abnormal growth of the educational institutes in the city.
What is the remedy or immediate solution for the problems? Yes, remedy is there but the next problem is that once the new system is applied, the existing private universities in the country will be IRRELEVANT and the University Grants Commission (UGC) activities will be limited to the public universities only for which the UGC was born.
As the scientists say “for every problem there is a technological solution behind it”. For the hundreds of millions of people around the world, higher education is no more than a dream. They are constrained by finances, the lack of institutions in their region, or they are not able to leave home to study at a university for personal reasons. In such situations, the university can be opened to continue their studies from home and at minimal cost by using open-source technology, open course materials, e-learning methods and peer-to-peer teaching.
Though it seems very unusual, the activities of such a university have already started in the world. Bangladesh is a part of the globe. So things are not impossible for Bangladesh too. Some 200 students from 52 countries have already registered, with a high school diploma and a sufficient level of English as entry requirements. The only charge to students is about taka-1000/ as admission fee and a processing fee for every test ranging from taka-700 to 7000. There is no tuition fee and no fixed campus in big buildings. Residence or anywhere else can the class room.
Though it seems very unusual, the activities of such a university have already started in the world. Bangladesh is a part of the globe. So things are not impossible for Bangladesh too. Some 200 students from 52 countries have already registered, with a high school diploma and a sufficient level of English as entry requirements. The only charge to students is about taka-1000/ as admission fee and a processing fee for every test ranging from taka-700 to 7000. There is no tuition fee and no fixed campus in big buildings. Residence or anywhere else can the class room.
Campus based universities could not prove to be innovative because they have become a monopoly. Lectures should be available online to everyone anywhere for free. Course materials should be shared between universities, science labs are virtual, and digital text books are free. All institutions should adapt to it. Many of today’s students are not satisfied with the old model that expects them to go to a lecture hall at prescribed time and sit still while a professor talks for an hour.
There may come lots of questions like; What is the learning model for the University? The high-quality, low-cost and global pedagogical model embraces the worldwide presence of the Internet and dropping technology costs to bring collegiate level studies to even the poorest and most remote places on earth. With the support of the respected academics, humanitarians and other visionaries, the student body represents a new wave in global education. Comprised of students from around the world, the student body will learn through peer-to-peer teaching with support of respected scholars. Within the online study communities, students will share resources, exchange ideas, discuss weekly topics, submit assignments and take exams.
How does the University promote the students success?
The curriculum includes lessons, classes, discussions, readings, assignments and exams like any university. The students receive maximum freedom in location and hours. Still, in order to push the students for success in the final exam there are several tools that ensure their commitment, and promote their knowledge.
The curriculum includes lessons, classes, discussions, readings, assignments and exams like any university. The students receive maximum freedom in location and hours. Still, in order to push the students for success in the final exam there are several tools that ensure their commitment, and promote their knowledge.
Each class has a closed forum for questions and discussions. Participation in the forum is a must on a weekly basis. For each subject there are open forums where volunteers from the academia worldwide help students find answers to their questions. Students are given weekly assignments which allow them to test their understanding of the material.
The goal of the university should be to allow students to live their lives, make a living at whatever means are available in their environment, but they are able to enjoy supportive learning environment which will eventually lead them to a better life. When education becomes digital and open, the circle keeps getting wider in emerging Digital Bangladesh.
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