Private universities saving foreign currency, offering quality education

The beginning of the privately owned universities in Bangladesh in the early 1990s was somewhat tentative. Until then, public universities ruled the higher education segment within the country. However, with the passage of time, private universities have become a prominent feature on the academic landscape of Bangladesh, creating employment, facilitating research, fostering creative ideas and accelerating learning; all essential in an age of intense competition.

When North South University began its operation, the reaction from society was also lukewarm, leading many to question the viability and the sustainability of such a venture. However, just like commercial venture of the bottled water, that drew much scepticism in the early days, private universities saw a boom in demand.

As per a TBP report, alluding to University Grants Commission (UGC) data, the number of personnel at 51 private universities was 16,445 in 2010 which rose 98 per cent to 27,858 at 108 institutions in 2020.

Also, back in 2010, the total annual revenue of 51 private universities was at Tk 1,221 crore, according to UGC data.

In 2020, the total annual revenue of 96 private universities increased by a staggering 170 per cent to Tk 3,297 crore.

Naturally, the financial factor will always attract attention although for education, especially at the tertiary level, the monetary issue comes after the quality of the knowledge imparted by institutions.

The fact that many students now opt to remain in the country to study at privately owned institutions is a testament to their standard.

When there are 108 universities in the private sector, there will be competition among these institutions to be the best to attract students and, therefore, almost all of them have well delineated strategies to offer education that is not only functional but also permits students to employ/hone their creative faculties.

Relevant to note that The University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh ranked fourth among Bangladeshi private universities in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking 2022. Over 1400 institutions across the world took part in the ranking process.

This is indeed an outstanding accolade for a local privately owned university. It won’t be wrong to state that the appeal of private universities has seen a phenomenal rise because of several factors: ability to complete courses and degrees within a stipulated time, strategic curriculum plus interaction with overseas universities allowing students to be globally connected, dedicated teaching staff, state of the art facilities from computer labs to debating clubs to a plethora of sporting activities.

Most universities, which began with classroom education as the main theme, now have sprawling campuses with residential dorms and playing fields.

These universities have also opened a prestigious job sector within the country, allowing meritorious students to work within a highly motivating academic work place, triggering research, innovative ideas and social development.

While the private university boom is indeed praiseworthy, the tendency to commercialise education needs to be contained.

An established fact, private university students with a strong grasp of functional English are given preference in the job market since most of these institutes use English as a medium of instruction.

Arguably, in the ever expanding employment sector, where top companies are mostly multinationals, banks, development bodies and NGOs, fluid communication skill is arguably the most desired quality.

Emphasis on communication skills has always been one of the main pillars of private universities, leading many students to stay in the country instead of going abroad for education.

The beginning was shaky, the present looks secure but to retain their efficacy, privately owned universities need to stress more on education that fosters entrepreneurial spirit and a passion to start something new.

A sociological survey may soon become necessary to identify why students of private universities do well in international companies while those from public universities opt for government service.