Dhaka, Aug 5 (V7N) - Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor Dr Mamun Ahmed has said that trained master trainers and national trainers will play a central role in implementing the UGC's action plan as part of the country's journey towards transforming higher education.
"The UGC is preparing a five-year action plan to improve the quality of higher education, enhance skills, and implement the desired reforms in the country's universities. The main objective is to bridge the gap between university education and labour market demands and develop students into skilled, employment-ready graduates," he said.
He made the remarks while addressing the closing and certificate distribution ceremony of the second 'Training of Trainers' programme under the 'Senior Faculty Professional Development Programme', organised under the HEAT Project at BRAC CDM in Savar last night.
He said that, as part of the action plan, there are plans to introduce mandatory internships for fourth-year students of all departments within the next five years. Students will undertake internships at industrial, commercial, government and non-government organisations. At the same time, they will receive education in soft skills development and moral values. Financial assistance will also be provided to students participating in these programmes, he added.
The UGC chairman said the phased initiative to develop national trainers from master trainers would support quality assurance, research, innovation, modern teaching methods and academic leadership development at universities. At the same time, initiatives are being taken to strengthen the research culture, expand fellowships to address the shortage of skilled teachers at marginal universities, and enhance the capacity of comparatively underperforming universities, he added.
At the programme, certificates were awarded to 20 teachers as national trainers after completing the 10-day training programme. Over the next two years, they will provide professional development training to around 3,500 senior teachers at universities across the country.
UGC Member Professor Dr Masuma Habib, British Council Bangladesh Country Director Stephen Forbes, Advance HE Consultant Dr Ben Brabyn, HEAT Project Director Professor Dr Asaduzzaman, and Dean of the University Teachers Training Academy Professor Dr Laila Noor Islam also addressed the programme.
end/aj/rh
