Over 3,800 Bangladeshi students apply for higher education in Pakistan

DHAKA, Jul 7: In a significant policy shift both Dhaka and Islamabad moving closer to deepen academic cooperation, with nearly 3,800 Bangladeshi students have applied to pursue higher education in Pakistan this year, Pakistan's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider said on Tuesday.

Haider made the remarks during a meeting with University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed at the commission's headquarters, where both sides agreed in principle to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening collaboration between universities in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

According to the envoy, Pakistani universities were increasingly attracting Bangladeshi students by offering scholarships as well as accommodation, food and transport facilities for international applicants.

He added that education had emerged as a key pillar of bilateral engagement following his recent discussions with Bangladesh's leadership, arguing that closer academic links would help promote research, innovation and skilled workforce development in both countries.

The meeting focused on a wide range of potential initiatives, including faculty and student exchange programmes, semester-long academic exchanges, joint training programmes for teachers and university administrators, collaborative research projects and innovation partnerships.

Officials also discussed cooperation in science and technology education, research management, university governance and strategies for improving international university rankings. Pakistan's "Knowledge Corridor" initiative was also reviewed as a possible model for future collaboration.

Both sides expressed interest in launching joint higher education projects and expanding institutional partnerships between universities.

Prof Mamun Ahmed said Bangladesh could benefit from Pakistan's experience as the government moves forward with plans to transform the UGC into a Higher Education Commission.

He said stronger engagement with Pakistan's Higher Education Commission and academic institutions could help enhance research capacity, innovation and institutional development in both countries.

The move marks a stark shift in Bangladesh's decades long academic policy, with India having been the premier location for Bangladeshis to pursue higher education, with Dhaka routinely sending government officials, civil servants, and university administrators to Indian universities for executive training, public policy seminars, and research fellowships.

(UNI()