We most often hear a buzzing sentence, "Once our universities werechirping with the chorus of the foreign students but those sweet sounds and golden days or years of Bangladeshi universities are no longer heard and seen." Once many talented students from Japan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Iran, Korea, Nepal, Bhutan, Indiaand China used to come to study in the universities and medical colleges of the country.The universities were full of foreign students but that tradition has been lost in the passage of time.
There are approximately 4.8 million students who are presently studying in different universities of Bangladesh. Higher Education system in Bangladesh is functioning by public universities and private universities. Is Bangladeshi higher education system combating with the world challenges and demands? None will be able to answer this question straightforwardly.
There are 54 functional public universities and 104 functional private universities. Though the number of the universities is increasing but the number of the foreign students is ironicallydecreasing in comparison. If we look at the statistical figures published (in the last 03 years consecutively) by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh, it will be very crystal clear to us that how the number of foreign students is decreasing gradually. There were 2,317 international students in the public and private universities in 2020. The number decreases to 2,281 in 2021 and 1,957 in 2022.
Here it is seen that the number of overseas students into the Bangladeshi universities has just now nosedived as the higher educational institutions have shown their failure to attract more foreign universities. There may be thinking that the number of international students has been decreased due to COVID-19 pandemic. But it's not the reality. Those who keep their eyes open and updated with different information may easily notice the numbers of Bangladeshi students to abroad like UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand Canada, European Union (EU) countries.
If we try to look for the reasons why the foreign students are losing their interest to receive the higher education in Bangladesh. We may easily identify these loopholes: (i) lack of facilities and resourcesavailable in Bangladeshi universities; (ii) quality of education offered in the Bangladeshi universities (iii) language barrier as most of the universities conduct their classes in Bangla language though their medium of instruction is English. (iv) lengthy and complicated admission process; (v) lack of competition whereas neighboring other South Asian and South-East Asiancountries are improving their educational offerings, making them more attractive destinations for foreign students; (vi)not having proper safety and securityfor the foreign students; (vii) lack of good ranking of Bangladeshi universities in QS, Times Higher Education and other rankings; (viii) scarcity of scholarship offers; (ix) lack of industry-academia linkages; (x) not ensuring the internationalization of the qualitative fields of educations. (xi) most of the universities don't update their websites in a regular basis. (xii) not taking proper steps for publicity and promote Bangladeshi university internationally.
Our universities are increasing but not producing qualified teachers. Talented teachers cannot be attracted to teaching-learning and pedagogy fields. Many universities in the competitive developed world offer various facilities such as funding, scholarships so that students feel comfortable studying in those universities.Besides, there are lack of research, foreign student friendly environment and quality of education in our higher education. The quality of higher education in the Bangladeshi universities lacks of the standards of foreign students in most of the cases. The kinds of support that foreign students need are not up to the mark in provided by the universities.
So, we need to find out the ways of getting rid to attract the foreign students in Bangladesh. Along with different pragmatic heeling aspects of the above mentioned reasons, the followings may be considered to cope with the adverse situations for attracting the foreign students in Bangladeshi universities. (a) Universities need to work to improve their public perception and demonstrate the value they provide to society. Emphasis should be placed on public private partnership in higher education. Collaboration between educational institutions and industry abroad should be increased though we have deficiency in this regard.
(b) There is an abbreviated term called as GAIN. GAIN denotes for Graduate Academy Industrial Network. There are three parts here. First is students, second is faculty and third is industry. A network should be created by combining these three.
(c) Many universities are facing budget cuts, some of them are struggling to survive. But the universities should increase or create their own ways of incomes to accelerate the budgets for attracting foreign students. (d) There should have a full-fledged International Affairs Office or Global Affairs Office at each university to provide prompt information and overall assistance regarding admissions and other related issues. (e) Visa application process can be made directly at the embassy of Bangladesh in abroad only with the Invitation Letter or Offer Letter from the university or professor of Bangladeshi universities.
Though it is the last but not the least that foreign students should be motivated to learn Bengali language to make education and life easier in Bangladesh.It should be remembered that the foreign graduates will work as Representatives, Promoters or Brand Ambassadors of education and culture of our beloved country, Bangladesh, throughout their lives.So again, we hope for hearing more chirping sounds created by the walking of the foreign students in the premises of Bangladeshi universities and the prudent authorities concerned with the tertiary education will be more proactive to attract the foreign students in the Bangladeshi universities.
The writer is a Senior Assistant Secretary of the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh
