Prime Minister’s Education and Primary and Mass Education Adviser Mahdi Amin on Wednesday said education exchanges can serve as a major bridge in strengthening people-to-people ties between Bangladesh and China.
“We want to strengthen the bonds between the people of our two countries, and educational exchange can be one of the most effective ways to achieve that,” he said.
Mahdi, also the spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, made the remarks at the China-Bangladesh Education Exchange Conference held at South China Normal University in Guangzhou.
He said Bangladeshi students will have opportunities to pursue higher education and research in China, while Chinese students could visit Bangladesh to take part in summer schools and academic programmes at different campuses.
The conference concluded with both sides expressing a strong commitment to expanding university cooperation, academic exchanges and long-term educational partnerships between Bangladesh and China.
Earlier in the day, a meeting on China-Bangladesh education cooperation discussed four key areas: study opportunities for Bangladeshi students in China, cooperation between universities, joint research, and technical education and skills development.
Mahdi said the Bangladesh side is also working closely with Chinese institutions to explore ways to further improve the academic environment and facilities for Bangladeshi students already studying in China.
He stressed that sending students abroad alone will not be enough and called for greater emphasis on joint research, laboratory sharing and technology transfer.
Referring to the achievements of Chinese universities in research and global rankings, Mahdi said Bangladesh could benefit from China’s experience, particularly in technical education and polytechnic training.
He also stressed the need to strengthen academic links with leading Chinese universities in technical education, research collaboration, university partnerships and Chinese language education.
The adviser called for establishing Chinese language centres in Bangladesh with the support of Chinese universities to provide qualified teachers, structured courses, learning materials and institutional support.
He also invited Chinese government and university officials to visit Bangladesh to gain a better understanding of the country’s education sector and explore opportunities for long-term academic and institutional cooperation.
