Employers and educators have called for stronger English communication skills and closer collaboration between universities and industry, as Cambridge University Press & Assessment Bangladesh Ltd launched its AI-enabled English proficiency test, Linguaskill, in Bangladesh on Wednesday.
The launch was followed by a roundtable titled “From Curriculum to Career – Aligning English Communication Skills with Hiring and Workplace Success,” bringing together vice chancellors, academics, chief executives, human resources leaders, corporate executives and policymakers to discuss how graduates can be better prepared for an evolving job market, the organisation said in a press release.
Linguaskill is an online, on-demand English assessment that provides fast, flexible and internationally benchmarked evaluation of English proficiency for educational institutions, employers and government organisations.
Opening the discussion, Cambridge University Press & Assessment Managing Director for South Asia Arun Rajamani said employers worldwide are increasingly seeking practical English proficiency rather than conventional language assessment.
He said Linguaskill was developed as a market-aligned solution that measures real-world communication skills and helps organisations identify candidates who can meet the demands of today’s global workplace.
A recurring theme throughout the discussion was that technical knowledge alone is no longer enough. Participants said employers now expect graduates to demonstrate strong English communication, critical thinking, presentation, interpersonal, teamwork, adaptability and problem-solving skills.
Drawing on the academic perspective, University of Dhaka Department of English Chairman Tazin Aziz Chowdhury said many students from public schools enter higher education with limited opportunities to practise English, making public speaking and classroom participation more challenging.
American International University-Bangladesh Board of Trustees Member Dulce Lamagna said universities should expand experiential learning through presentations, competitions, drama and industry simulations to strengthen students’ communication abilities.
Business leaders echoed the need for stronger workplace skills. Marriott Council Bangladesh Chairman Md Al-Amin said effective communication builds customer trust and improves service quality, while Creative Group Chief Operating Officer Zia Uddin Mahmud described English as an essential skill in the artificial intelligence era for communicating effectively with both clients and emerging technologies.
Syngenta Bangladesh Country HR Head Upala Shafique said employers now assess English proficiency alongside digital competency, leadership, teamwork, adaptability and problem-solving throughout the recruitment process.
Participants also called for deeper collaboration between academia and industry through internships, mentorship, industry-led lectures, experiential learning and curriculum enhancement so graduates are workplace-ready from their first day on the job.
The roundtable was moderated by Englishology Chief Business Lead Sabiha Ashalata. Englishology, an authorised Cambridge English exam centre and Bangladesh’s first authorised Linguaskill centre, partnered with Cambridge to bring together education and industry leaders to discuss bridging the gap between academic learning and workplace expectations.
Cambridge said the initiative reflects its commitment to equipping Bangladeshi learners with internationally benchmarked English communication skills to improve employability and competitiveness in the global workforce.
