Photo : Collected

DHAKA, April  23, 2026 (BSS) - The University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh has urged the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to consider the actual needs of local universities while designing projects aimed at improving science and technology education.

UGC Chairman Professor Mamun Ahmed made the call at a meeting with a JICA delegation held at the UGC office today.

He also suggested forming a joint committee to ensure proper coordination and formulation of recommendations in this regard.

He stressed the importance of assessing the real needs and capacities of universities before project design and proposed a trilateral meeting involving Bangladeshi and Japanese universities, the UGC, and the Ministry of Education.

A five-member JICA delegation, led by JICA Bangladesh Representative Nishi Rizuki, attended the meeting. Senior UGC members and officials were also present.

JICA informed the meeting that a five-year project is being prepared to enhance science and technology education at Dhaka University and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). The project, expected to begin in 2028, will include a preliminary survey this year.

The initiative is expected to expand laboratory-based education, introduce joint degree programmes, provide internship and PhD opportunities in Japan, and strengthen industry-academia collaboration. Although focused on the two universities, other institutions will also benefit from shared infrastructure, JICA officials said.

They further noted that as Bangladesh prepares to graduate from LDC status in 2026, demand for skilled manpower, innovation, and technology will increase, making it essential to strengthen the higher education sector.