The University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh is planning to make internships mandatory for students at all public and private universities across the country.
This provision is included in the draft strategic action plan for the transformation of higher education, which aims to create structured internship opportunities in various government offices, autonomous institutions, industrial enterprises, and private organisations.
UGC Chairman Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed disclosed this information on Monday at a reception organised by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Dhaka, reads a press release.
He explained that many students currently face challenges in the competitive job market due to a lack of practical work experience and essential skills following their graduation.
To address this gap, the UGC is formulating a five-year strategic action plan to make higher education more career-oriented and industry-friendly by aligning it with the demands of both domestic and international labour markets.
As part of this initiative, a national survey will be conducted to identify current student skill levels and existing deficiencies. The findings of this survey will be used to adjust university curricula, teaching methods, and evaluation systems to ensure graduates can adapt quickly to changing work environments.
Prof Mamun further noted that the internship programme would involve long-term partnerships between universities, government agencies, and the industrial sector, with financial support provided jointly by the government and commercial enterprises.
The UGC will be responsible for policy coordination, monitoring, and implementation of the entire process.
Beyond subject-specific knowledge, the chairman emphasised the importance of soft skills such as linguistic proficiency, communication, leadership, teamwork, creative thinking, and problem-solving.
Special training modules are being developed to foster these skills, alongside the creation of digital platforms to facilitate direct communication between students, universities, and industries for internships, research collaboration, and job opportunities.
Furthermore, the UGC plans to bring universities under a phased digital transformation within the next two to three years, including initiatives for high-speed internet, campus-wide free Wi-Fi, modern digital classrooms, and the development of smart campuses.
The event, held at the Jamal Uddin Ahmed Lecture Gallery, was chaired by the Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Prof Dr Md Zakir Hossain Howlader. During the ceremony, both the UGC Chairman and the Vice-Chancellor of Jessore University of Science and Technology (JUST), Prof Dr Yarul Kabir, were honoured.
Other speakers at the event included Prof Dr Rafiqur Rahman, Prof Ishtiaq Mahmud, Prof Dr Mamun Rashid, Prof Dr Zeba Islam Seraj, Prof Anwarul Azim, Prof Dr Aftab Uddin, and the Dean of the Faculty of Biological Sciences, Prof Dr Abdul Karim.
