University of Central Lancashire (UCALN) will be opening a study centre in Bangladesh shortly, after having received approval from the country’s Ministry of Education. This is the third such international study centre in the country following the University of Monash Australia and London School of Economics, while Bangladesh also has one international branch campus.  The permission is for a seven-year term.  

UCLAN degree programmes will be delivered through Universal College Bangladesh situated in Dhaka, the capital city. The study centre is required to be compliant with the regulations outlined in the Private Universities Act of 2010 and the Rules for Management of Branch Campuses or Study Centres of Foreign Universities or Institutions of 2014.

British Council Comments

There has been some uncertainty and ambiguity around branch campus and study centres lately with the issue of foreign higher education institutions operating illegally in Bangladesh. Around 56 foreign higher education institutions were blacklisted due to due to their status as certificate-awarding entities.

According to a press report, the study centre was the subject of a difference of opinion between the University Grants Commission and the Ministry of Education, which disagreed on approvals for study centres and international branch campus. This is an example of challenges that lie with the legal framework and lack of clarity between the Private Universities Act 2010, the 2014 rules for foreign universities, and the Company Act of 1994.  This new approval, however, shows that the process is now becoming more operationalised.

Without disregarding the existing ambiguity, it is worth highlighting that the Bangladesh government is keen to accelerate reforms in education which it started through the Strategic Higher Education Plan and the overall ambition to become an advanced nation by 2041. The country aims to leverage partnerships with the private sector, which is envisioned to play a dominant role in tertiary education and skill training, and to focus on quality and skills that are linked to market demand.  Internationalisation is already being seen as an important way to achieve this ambition. In that context, the Private Universities Act and the 2014 rules for foreign universities were unveiled. The approval of UCLAN’s study centre is encouraging and will help build confidence in UK universities to explore opportunities in Bangladesh.

The British Council understands that changes to the 2014 rules for foreign universities are expected, though the timelines are not known.  Expansion of HE to widen access and improve quality in Bangladesh is an imperative and would be more challenging without such initiatives to partner with diverse and international HEIs. 

We will be launching a research report on the prospects for TNE partnerships in Bangladesh shortly, which will add further insights into the landscape for engagement. We will also be promoting TNE partnerships grant opportunities for Bangladesh in the near future.

Links

https://www.dainikshiksha.com/en/uclan-uk-study-centre-in-dhaka-gets-nod/272737/

https://iqac.buet.ac.bd/

https://bac.gov.bd/

CBHE guidelines attached