The government has no intention to establish any separate university for the children of bureaucrats at this moment, Public Administration Minister Farhad Hossain has said. “The government is working to ensure equal opportunity for all,” he said while talking to UNB at the secretariat on Sunday (May 05, 2024). “Bureaucrats placed a proposal regarding the establishment of a university for their children and we welcome any kind of proposal. We have many important things to do now and we are not thinking about it at the moment,” he said. Decision to increase age limit for govt jobs up to PM, says Public Administration Minister Divisional and deputy commissioners presented various proposals during the DC conference held from March 3-6. Different proposals including master’s and advanced degree programmes, training for civil service officers, and their children’s education came during the conference, he said. The DCs placed various demands including educational opportunities during their meeting with the prime minister. While talking about the Deputy Commissioners’ proposal, the minister reiterated the inclusive nature of higher education, emphasising that universities are institutions accessible to all where everyone has to get a chance through admission tests. “This is how we think about it.” Power and energy sector likely to get Tk 804 billion allocation in next two fiscal years The minister said, there is a government employee hospital for government employees, "The university is  universal, it comes from a universal idea." "A university is an open space where knowledge is freely acquired, and people can think without constraints. It's where minds develop, shaping individuals into capable citizens. It's a hub for all kinds of people, a place where genius thrives," the minister concluded.  

President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Monday asked the country’s universities to focus more on job-oriented education and research to cater to the need of the employment market. He said this when Jatiya Kabi Nazrul Islam University Vice-Chancellor Professor Soumitra Sekhar and acting Vice-Chancellor of BRAC University Syed Mahfuzul Aziz met with him separately at Bangabhaban. President's Press Secretary Joynal Abedin briefed reporters after the meetings. Also Read: Ensure proper spending of public money: President Shahabuddin The president said that the universities must do more on encouraging the students to take up research and innovative activities, which will be sustainable for the country. VC Soumitra Shekhar briefed the President about the academic and development activities of the Kabi Nazrul University.    

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni said on Wednesday that students will be enrolled in universities through creating a national merit list after holding one admission test from the next year.   She told this to reporters after inaugurating a ‘Science Fair’ of the National University at Daulatpur College in Kushtia on Wednesday. Acknowledging some problems and limitations in the cluster system of the university admission test in 2022-2023 sessions, the minister said the problems will be addressed in future. Cluster method admission test was introduced  in 2021-22 academic year after bringing 32 public universities under it to enroll students on the basis of a merit list. Replying to a question about ragging at the educational institutions, Dipu Moni said it as a social menace and coordinated effort is needed to prevent it. She also sought cooperation from the media to address the social problem. Local lawmaker Advocate AKM Sarwar Jahan Badshah and NU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mashiur Rahman, among others, attended the event. A total of 18 science colleges participated in the fair this year.

The Canadian International School Bangladesh (CISB) on Monday unveiled the pre-university studies program. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the CISB and Nova Scotia Department of Education Ministry, Canada at a hotel in Dhaka. The MoU will help CISB students to get admitted directly to Canadian universities and universities around the world, said a media release. Deputy Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury was present as the chief guest. Dr. Vera Grayson-Kocay, former director of International Programs and Jerry Thibeau, Director International Programs, Education and Early Childhood - Development, Nova Scotia, Canada were also present. Among others, Angela Dark, Counselor and Senior Trade Commissioner of Canadian High Commission to Bangladesh, Shirin Akhter, MP, Chairman Mohammad Kamal Uddin, CEO Begum Shirin Jahan and Principal Janice Smales were also present.

The U.S. Embassy, through its EducationUSA Bangladesh platform, will host the EducationUSA South Asia Fall Virtual Tour on September 3 and 10. The tour aims to provide prospective students, teachers, and college counselors with a unique opportunity to learn about the U.S. higher education application process from admissions officers representing over 60 accredited American colleges and universities.  This free regional fair will be open to participants from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, said the US Embassy on Friday. The virtual tour entails two university fairs—a graduate admissions (masters and doctoral programs) fair on September 3 and an undergraduate admissions (associates and bachelor’s degree programs) fair on September 10. 

A student of the University Barishal (BU) has recently been offered a job at Google, American company that is most commonly known as a search engine. Abu Sayem Sefatullah, a Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) department student at BU of 2015-16 sessions, received a job offer for the post of software engineer at Google, said Assistant Professor of the department Md Mostafizur Rahman. He took to social media for congratulating Sayem on his success. In his post, the Md Mostafizur said it was a great achievement for both the university and the department.  “Sayem had earlier represented the university in International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) and National Collegiate Programming Contest (NCPC) through Team ‘Robotrush’. I am proud to be the official coach of this team in 2017-2020. Congratulations and best wishes for him. I hope other students of BU will follow his path,” said the post. Talking to UNB, Abu Sayem said that all those who study at CSE want to get a job in tech company like Google. “I also had the same dream. I used to participate in programming contests since I was a first-year student.”  READ: Lawsuit: Google, Facebook CEOs colluded in online ad sales “When I was in the 7th semester, I got an offer from Singapore. But I waited for an offer from Google which was my major target,” he said. Google's interview process is long and difficult, he said adding that his interview started in November last year.  “After going through many rounds and processes for months, I finally got the offer yesterday,” Sayem added.

At Mustaqbal Pohanton University on the eastern edge of Kabul, the new academic year has just begun. Universities in Afghanistan have been closed since August last year. "Learning and education are the tools for the country's development," said student Shagofa Mohammadi. "I am very happy that the universities have reopened." Mohammadi studies Sharia Law. Sitting among more than two dozen female students, she said that it was natural for everyone to want an education. READ: Twin earthquakes in western Afghanistan kill at least 22 Mohammadi is concerned by a shortage of female lecturers, and some of the classes are taught by male teachers. "According to Islamic Law boys and girls should be educated separately." Established in 2014, Mustaqbal Pohanton University has a history of encouraging women to get an education, in spite of prevailing challenges and economic problems. Vice chancellor of the university Najibullah Nasrat is also concerned about teacher shortages. Following the end of the U.S.-led occupations, many academics fled the country to escape any Taliban retribution. Nasrat said both male and female lecturers left the country in numbers last year. "We have about 800 students, including 300 women, studying here. We have 45 teachers and only 14 of them are women," Nasrat told Xinhua. The vice chancellor is more worried about economic problems. Many students are unable to pay their tuition. Lecturer Shamsudin Ahmadzai is hopeful of a solution, but is critical of Western attitudes to women's education in Afghanistan. He called on the international community to "come in and help us" instead.

Mark Schlissel has been removed as president of the University of Michigan due to an alleged "inappropriate relationship with a university employee," the school said Saturday on its website. The removal was effective “immediately,” the University of Michigan Board of Regents said, adding that members learned on Dec. 8, 2021, about the relationship from an anonymous complaint and that an investigation revealed that “over the years,” Schlissel used his university email account to “communicate with that subordinate in a manner inconsistent with the dignity and reputation of the university.” “As you know, the Regents received an anonymous complaint regarding an alleged sexual affair between you and a subordinate,” the board wrote in its letter to Schlissel informing him of his removal. “An investigation has revealed that your interactions with the subordinate were inconsistent with promoting the dignity and reputation of the University of Michigan.” The Associated Press sent an email Saturday night to Schlissel's university email to seek his comment, but it was not clear if he had access to the inbox anymore. The letter from the board dated Saturday included excerpts of emails exchanged between Schlissel and the employee. The employee wrote in a July 1, 2021, exchange that her “heart hurts,” according to the board, which said Schlissel responded: “I know. mine too.” He continued: ”This is my fault” and that he was “in pain too.” The board also wrote that on Jan. 9, 2021, the subordinate employee said, “Oh yes!” in an email to Schlissel. His response was “love it when you say that.” Copies of emails with the recipient’s name redacted were included in Saturday’s announcement on the school's website. One dated Jan. 12 was about an August 2019 article from The New Yorker titled “Sexual Fantasies of Everyday New Yorkers.” Schlissel had a base salary of $927,000 a year. He announced last October that he would step down in June 2023, a year before his contract was to expire. Former University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman has been appointed interim president. Schlissel's removal and Coleman's appointment will be affirmed during the board's Feb. 17 formal session. Schlissel succeeded Coleman as president in January 2014. He had been provost at Brown University.

University Teachers' Network on Tuesday urged the authority to reopen universities from first week of September otherwise they announced to hold symbolic classes in open spaces protesting the closure. They proposed a roadmap on how to reopen campuses gradually during a virtual press conference conducted by Dhaka University Prof Gitiara Nasreen.According to the roadmap, the residential halls should be reopened immediately (from September 1) for honours and masters students. Once their exams are over, the other batches should get residential facilities step by step. "No examination can be taken without ensuring residential facilities. Students who will stay in the halls and those who will come from home should participate in exams in separate rooms to curb Covid-19 transmission," said Chittagong University Assistant Professor Maidul Islam while presenting the keynote paper. READ: Khulna University reschedules academic calendar After completion of the exams, there could be a "hybrid system", where students should get the opportunity to participate in classes -- both online and offline. Fifty percent of the students could join online and rest could start regular classes in the classroom. "If a student falls ill, he/she can join online," Maidul Islam added. According to the keynote paper, Covid-19 testing and vaccination for students should be installed at campus medical centres on a priority basis. The capacity of medical centres, along with isolation facility, should be upgraded. The University Teachers' Network also demanded starting an online teaching-learning management system for teachers and a separate committee in each university to train them. They demanded measures necessary for mental wellbeing of teachers and students and high-speed internet at low cost. Teachers also demanded identifying students who drop out and make arrangements for their safety net. READ: CU postpones exams, Dhaka students to return home by university bus Moreover,  some students of Dhaka University today protested the long closure and demanded immediate reopening of Dhaka University.The protesters threatened to go for tougher movement  if the university authority continue remaining closure."Universities failed to draw a roadmap to reopen universities. we want to say, reopen campuses immediately or we will go for tougher movement," protesters said at a human chain held at the base of Raju memorial sculpture at the university.

GRC Services Limited has launched an online university application site for Bangladeshi students who want to study in US universities. Through this site, one can apply to 98 universities, including 25 tier-one ones of the US. Some of these universities are issuing I-20 without accepting fees. Besides, all the universities are accepting tuition fees after getting student visas. Read:‘Bangabandhu Corner’ set up at Seoul National University Library The rate of students willing to study abroad is growing. To meet this demand, GRC has been working since 2013 to ensure easy admission with scholarships for Bangladeshi students in the best universities in the world. Through the GRC website, students can easily apply to the universities of their choice. One can submit the application fee with any bank and mobile banking service in Bangladesh. Also, Bangladeshi students are now getting the opportunity to live in the US permanently after finishing their studies. Now most of the universities have STEM programmes through which the students will get the opportunity to work for 2-3 years after the completion of the programme. In addition, if a student gets a permanent job contract during this period, he or she will be eligible for permanent residency. Read: Bangabandhu Corner to be established at Lovely Professional University in Punjab "We have entered into agreements with 25 tier-one university authorities and have agreements with 98. Students who apply through our site also receive the highest percentage of scholarships. There are also many more facilities for them," said Mohammad Mozammel Haque Titu, managing director of GRC. GRC prepares students to meet the requirements of the universities, and students can pay their application fees from home through the GRC website as it accepts all sorts of bank and mobile financial services, according to a press release.