A landmark day-long national workshop titled “Transforming Higher Education in Bangladesh: Roadmap to Sustainable Excellence” was organized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) at the University of Dhaka on May 12, 2026. The Prime Minister of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Mr. Tarique Rahman, MP, inaugurated the day-long workshop at 10:00 a.m. at the Nawab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building of the University of Dhaka, and emphasized modern higher education as the foundation for a prosperous nation. Professor Dr. Md. Asraf Ali, Vice-Chancellor of Khwaja Yunus Ali University, attended the event alongside other academic leaders.

The convention introduced a transformative framework across five core dimensions to align national academic systems with global standards:

The first objective targets graduate employability and skill development, shifting focus from conventional degrees to soft skills and demand-driven education to meet global job market expectations. Second, the roadmap stresses industry-academia collaboration, urging universities to transition research from libraries to commercial environments through corporate partnerships.

Third, digital transformation and AI are required, so we must integrate AI tools and digital literacy and upgrade classrooms to smart facilities. Fourth, the framework focuses on faculty capacity and research excellence, highlighting routine professional training and high-impact publications to elevate global university rankings.

The guidelines call for comprehensive governance and institutional reform, including strengthening Institutional Quality Assurance Cells (IQAC) to ensure administrative transparency and a student-centric environment.