Private universities increase focus on research

According to the University Grants Commission Annual Report 2016, 86 private universities in Bangladesh have placed more emphasis on research than before, resulting in a rise in research expenditure, writes Rashid Al Ruhani for the Dhaka Tribune.

Although the report has not been published yet, the information was made available via University Grants Commission or UGC sources. UGC Chairman Professor Abdul Mannan believes that this is a positive development as universities are paying more attention to research, something that will lift the academic standards. “It is positive that there has been an increase in expenditure in this sector. As more budget is being allocated [for research], more is spent,” he told the Bangla Tribune.

According to the commission sources, back in 2015, only 57 private universities had more or less allocated budget and conducted research. This changed in 2016 when academic institutions became more focused on research. As a result, the number of universities in the study increased to 64.
Full report on the Dhaka Tribune site