UGC drafting stringent policy to regulate foreign university branches in Bangladesh

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is formulating a comprehensive policy to regulate the establishment of foreign university branch campuses in Bangladesh, aiming to uphold academic standards and prevent the commercialisation of higher education.

A high-powered committee, led by the Vice-Chancellor of Buet and comprising senior academics from institutions such as the University of Dhaka, North South University, and Jahangirnagar University, is working on the draft. Professor Dr Mohammad Anwar Hossain, head of the UGC sub-committee on private universities, is leading a key part of this initiative.

In a recent interview with UNB, Dr Hossain stated, “We are assessing how beneficial foreign campuses will be for Bangladesh… Once this policy is finalised, we will be able to decide on the approval of foreign campuses.”

While the UGC maintains a generally positive outlook toward foreign institutions, it remains cautious about potential pressure on existing public and private universities. Concerns include the impact on student interests, teacher retention, and research standards in public universities.

The draft policy, which updates the ambiguous 2014 regulations, proposes stricter requirements for foreign universities. These include:
A minimum of 25,000 square feet of campus space
Employment of full-time academic staff
A fixed deposit of Tk 5 crore
A non-refundable application fee of Tk 10 lakh
Limiting approvals to full-fledged branch campuses, excluding study centres

The policy aims to ensure only high-quality, recognised foreign universities are allowed to operate in Bangladesh.

Currently, Malaysia’s UCSI University is the only foreign institution to receive joint approval from the UGC and the Ministry of Education. It has already commenced academic operations in Dhaka.

Future approvals will be contingent upon the finalisation and enforcement of the new policy, which the UGC says is designed with national interest and educational integrity in mind.

SR