The University Grants Commission (UGC) and the British Council have recently signed an exclusive Operational Alliance Agreement at InterContinental Dhaka to continue a meaningful partnership for enhancing the quality of education.
The partnership reinforces the two entities' mutual dedication to strengthen and elevate the higher education sector in Bangladesh, read a press release.
British Council’s Going Global Partnerships (GGP), launched in July 2021, aims to foster strategic, mutually beneficial, and equitable partnerships in tertiary education between the UK and other nations. This programme encourages partnerships among universities, colleges, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to bolster Higher Education (HE) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems, promote research collaboration, internationalise institutions, enhance student outcomes, advance gender equality, and support inclusion, building upon over 50 prior British Council projects that supported Higher Education and TVET partnerships globally.
In Bangladesh, the British Council, under the GGP and in collaboration with the University Grants Commission, is dedicated to enhancing the higher education sector's teaching and learning capacity, exemplified by the establishment of the Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) units.
The University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC) and the British Council have fortified their partnership with yet another agreement that emphasises teaching and learning practices in the higher education institutes in the country.
Under the Operational Alliance Agreement, a series of initiatives will be launched, focusing on improving the higher education sector across the country.
One of the key elements of this agreement is Teaching Excellence Programme (TEP) which has been designed to develop the capacity of Higher Education (HE) faculty members focussing on practical approaches and leadership strategies for student-centred teaching and learning and authentic assessment in higher education.
Professional development of early career researchers; enhancing the English skills of university faculty members; development of a leadership programme for HE sector leaders; facilitating the academic partnerships in HE sector between Bangladesh and UK are also some other areas of this agreement.
Tom Miscioscia, Director Bangladesh, British Council and Dr Ferdous Zaman, Secretary of the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh, signed the agreement.
"Through our long-standing partnership with the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh, the British Council is committed to supporting the development of higher education in Bangladesh. The Going Global Partnerships programme aims to cultivate academic collaborations between the UK and Bangladesh and to foster joint course development, faculty exchange, and research initiatives," Tom Miscioscia, Country Director of Bangladesh, British Council, said in his opening remarks.
Professor Dr Muhammed Alamgir, Chairman (Additional charge) & Member, University Grants Commission of Bangladesh, said, “The UGC's mission and vision are deeply rooted in our dedication to advancing the higher education landscape in Bangladesh. Our journey has been guided by a vision of creating a higher education system that not only provides access to all but also upholds the highest standards of excellence and we are happy to have the British Council with us on this journey as a trusted partner’.
Senior officials from both the UGC and the British Council were also present at the event.