Universities in Bangladesh represent about 150 academic bodies of the conventional higher education institution (HEI) in Bangladesh. Segmented by management and financial structure, these include 43 public universities, 103 private universities, 3 international universities, 31 specialized colleges, and 2 special universities. There are specialized universities in both categories offering courses principally in technological studies, medical studies, business studies and Islamic studies. There are two private universities dedicated solely to female students. The number of universities is growing mostly in and around the capital city of Dhaka.
There are about 1688[1] colleges organized under the umbrella of Bangladesh National University โ one of the largest in the world. The Open University offers distance learning courses. There is a parallel religious high-ed education system. And amongst private higher education institutions, the Universal College Bangladesh is the pioneer of bringing together world's best universities such as Monash College Pathway program and London School of Economics and Political Science in Bangladesh, where you can obtain foreign degree from the Dhaka city campus.
The University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC) is the regulatory body of all the public (government funded) and private universities of Bangladesh. The Private University Act of 1992 paved the way for vigorous sprouting of private universities. 80% of its universities are in their infancy. There is a severed shortage in higher education capacity. The country is yet to have any research and education network (REN) or digital library consortium (DLC).
Public universities
Bangladesh has 53 [2] public universities instructing the bulk of higher studies students. They that are funded by the government and managed as self-governed government institutions.
University | Acronym | Established | Location | Division | Specialization | Ph.D. granting | Website |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Dhaka | DU | 1921 | Dhaka | Dhaka Division | General | Yes | link |
University of Rajshahi | RU | 1953 | Rajshahi | Rajshahi Division | General | Yes | link |
Bangladesh Agricultural University | BAU | 1961 | Mymensingh | Mymensingh Division | Agricultural Science | Yes | link |
Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology | BUET | 1962 | Dhaka | Dhaka Division | Engineering | Yes | link |
University of Chittagong | CU | 1966 | Chittagong | Chittagong Division | General | Yes | link |
Jahangirnagar University | JU | 1970 | Savar, Dhaka | Dhaka Division | General | Yes | link |
Islamic University, Bangladesh | IU | 1979 | Kushtia | Khulna Division | General | Yes | link |
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology | SUST | 1986 | Sylhet | Sylhet Division | STEM | Yes | link |
Khulna University | KU | 1991 | Khulna | Khulna Division | General | Yes | link |
Bangladesh Open University | BOU | 1992 | Gazipur | Dhaka Division | General | Yes | link |
National University Bangladesh | NU | 1992 | Gazipur | Dhaka Division | General | Yes | link |
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University | BSMRAU | 1998 | Gazipur | Dhaka Division | Agricultural Science | Yes | link |
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University | BSMMU | 1998 | Dhaka | Dhaka Division | Medical | No | link |
Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science & Technology University | HSTU | 1999 | Dinajpur | Rangpur Division | STEM | Yes | link |
Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University | MBSTU | 1999 | Tangail | Dhaka Division | STEM | Yes | link |
Patuakhali Science and Technology University | PSTU | 2000 | Patuakhali | Barisal Division | STEM | Yes | link |
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University | SAU | 2001 | Dhaka | Dhaka Division | Agricultural Science | Yes | link |
Khulna University of Engineering & Technology | KUET | 2003 | Khulna | Khulna Division | Engineering | Yes | link |
Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology | CUET | 2003 | Chittagong | Chittagong Division | Engineering | Yes | link |
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology | RUET | 2003 | Rajshahi | Rajshahi Division | Engineering | Yes | link |
Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology | DUET | 2003 | Gazipur | Dhaka Division | Engineering | Yes | link |
Jagannath University | JnU | 2005 | Dhaka | Dhaka Division | General | Yes | link |
Comilla University | CoU | 2006 | Comilla | Chittagong Division | General | Yes | link |
Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University | JKKNIU | 2006 | Mymensingh | Mymensingh Division | General | Yes | link |
Noakhali Science and Technology University | NSTU | 2006 | Noakhali | Chittagong Division | STEM | Yes | link |
Sylhet Agricultural University | SylAU | 2006 | Sylhet | Sylhet Division | Agricultural Science | Yes | link |
Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University | CVASU | 2006 | Chittagong | Chittagong Division | Veterinary Science | Yes | link |
Jashore University of Science and Technology | JUST | 2007 | Jessore | Khulna Division | STEM | Yes | link |
Bangladesh University of Professionals | BUP | 2008 | Dhaka | Dhaka Division | General | Yes | link |
Begum Rokeya University | BRU | 2008 | Rangpur | Rangpur Division | General | Yes | link |
Pabna University of Science and Technology | PUST | 2008 | Pabna | Rajshahi Division | STEM | Yes | link |
Bangladesh University of Textiles | BUTEX | 2010 | Dhaka | Dhaka Division | Textile Engineering | Yes | link |
University of Barisal | BU | 2011 | Barisal | Barisal Division | General | Yes | link |
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University | BSMRSTU | 2011 | Gopalganj | Dhaka Division | STEM | Yes | link |
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University | BSMRMU | 2013 | Chittagong | Chittagong Division | Maritime transport | Yes | link |
Islamic Arabic University | IAU | 2013 | Dhaka | Dhaka Division | Islamic | No | link |
Rangamati Science and Technology University | RMSTU | 2014 | Rangamati | Chittagong Division | STEM | Yes | link |
Rabindra University, Bangladesh | RUB | 2017 | Sirajganj | Rajshahi Division | General | Yes | link |
Bangamata Sheikh Fojilatunnesa Mujib Science & Technology University | BSFMSTU | 2017 | Jamalpur | Mymensingh Division | STEM | Yes | link |
Chittagong Medical University | CMU | 2017 | Chittagong | Chittagong Division | Medical | No | link |
Rajshahi Medical University | RMU | 2017 | Rajshahi | Rajshahi Division | Medical | No | link |
Sylhet Medical University | SMU | 2018 | Sylhet | Sylhet Division | Medical | No | link |
Sheikh Hasina University | SHU | 2018 | Netrokona | Mymensingh Division | General | Yes | link |
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Digital University | BDU | 2018 | Kaliakoir | Dhaka Division | ICT in education | No | link |
Khulna Agricultural University | KAU | 2019 | Khulna | Khulna Division | Agricultural science | Yes | link |
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University | BSMRAAU | 2019 | Lalmonirhat | Rangpur Division | Aeronautical Science | Yes | link |
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University | BSMRU | 2020 | Kishoreganj | Dhaka Division | General | Yes | link |
Habiganj Agricultural University | HAU | 2020 | Habiganj | Sylhet Division | Agricultural science | Yes | link |
Chandpur Science and Technology University | CSTU | 2020 | Chandpur | Chittagong Division | STEM | Yes | link |
Sheikh Hasina Medical University | SHMU | 2020 | Khulna | Khulna Division | Medical | No | link |
Sunamganj Science and Technology University | SSTU | 2020 | Sunamganj | Sylhet Division | STEM | Yes | |
Bogura Science and Technology University | BSTU | 2020 | Bogura | Rajshahi Division | STEM | Yes | |
Lakshmipur Science and Technology University | LSTU | 2020 | Lakshmipur | Chittagong Division | STEM | Yes | |
Kurigram Agricultural University | KuAU | 2022 | Kurigram | Rangpur Division | Agricultural science | ||
Mujibnagar University | MU | 2022 | Meherpur | Khulna Division | General | ||
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University, Naogaon | BSMRUN | 2022 | Naogaon | Rajshahi Division | General | ||
Thakurgaon University | TU | 2022 | Thakurgaon | Rangpur Division | General | ||
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Pirojpur | BSMRSTUP | 2022 | Pirojpur | Barishal Division | STEM | ||
Satkhira Science and Technology University | SASTU | Proposed | Satkhira | Khulna Division | STEM | ||
Jatir Janak Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University | JJBSMRSTU | Proposed | Narayanganj | Dhaka Division | STEM | ||
Dr. M A Wazed Miah Agricultural University | WMAU | Proposed | Natore | Rajshahi Division | Agricultural Science | ||
Sheikh Hasina Agricultural University | SHAU | Proposed | Shariatpur | Dhaka Division | Agricultural Science | ||
Rangpur University of Science and Technology | RUST | Proposed | Thakurgaon | Rangpur Division | STEM | ||
Marine Science University of Barisal | MSUB | Proposed | Barishal | Barishal Division | Maritime studies | ||
Michael Madhusudan Cultural University | MMCU | Proposed | Jashore | Khulna Division | Cultural studies | ||
Mymensingh Medical University | MMU | Proposed | Mymensingh | Mymensingh Division | Medical | ||
Bangladesh University of Juridical Sciences | BUJS | Proposed | Legal education | ||||
Bangladesh University of Educational Planning and Administration | BUEdPA | Proposed | Educational management |
Private universities
Private universities in Bangladesh came into being after institution of the Private University Act of 1992. As of 2019, over 103 of them had started. These universities follow an open credit system.
Criticism and controversy
There has been much controversy around the private universities and their practices. Eleven universities went operational without a UGC approval which was made a necessity under the Private University Act (1992). Twenty-seven private universities were found running without a vice-chancellor. Ten universities were issued a deadline of one year from the UGC to improve qualities. Eight universities the UGC of Bangladesh recommended for shutting down due to poor quality of academic standards. Some were served with show-cause notice by judicial authorities asking why it would not be closed down. At least eleven private universities introduced new academic courses without UGC approval. Others were found to deliver instructions in unauthorized courses and have illegal campuses.
Other universities and specialized colleges
See also
References
- โ "National University Candidate list". Archived from the original on 28 October 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- โ "University Grants Commission". 13 September 2018. Archived from the original on 13 September 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
External links
- University Grants Commission of Bangladesh
- UNESCO: List of Bangladesh universities
- University Act of 1857 on Banglapedia
- University Act of 1904 on Banglapedia