Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed has expressed interest in working with globally renowned universities to improve the quality of higher education in Bangladesh, promote the internationalization of higher education, and position the country as an attractive destination for international students.

He made the remarks during a meeting with a high-level Australian delegation led by Julian Hill, Australia’s Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs, at the UGC headquarters on Monday (August 3).

During the meeting, the Australian delegation said that around 32,000 Bangladeshi students are currently studying at universities across Australia. They noted that establishing branch campuses or study centers of Australian universities in Bangladesh would allow students to receive internationally recognized higher education at a significantly lower cost while remaining in the country.

The delegation also highlighted the close collaboration between Australian universities and industry, which enables students to develop practical skills alongside their academic studies in line with labor market demands. They said implementing a similar model in Bangladesh could further enhance graduates’ employability.

Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed said the internationalization of higher education, improvement of research quality, and development of globally competitive graduates are among the top priorities of the government and the UGC. He added that the commission welcomes branch campuses, study centers, and other academic collaboration initiatives by foreign universities to help achieve these objectives.

He said foreign universities operating in Bangladesh would bring new knowledge, advanced technologies, innovative teaching methods, and international academic experience to the country’s higher education sector. He added that students would particularly benefit if foreign universities offered academic programs in emerging and specialized disciplines that are not yet widely available in Bangladesh.

The UGC chairman further emphasized that any foreign university establishing a branch campus or study center in Bangladesh must maintain academic standards, curricula, research quality, and teaching excellence equivalent to those of its main campus. He also stressed the importance of appointing a significant number of faculty members from the parent campus to facilitate knowledge exchange and strengthen the professional capacity of local academics.

In response, members of the Australian delegation said many leading Australian universities already operate successful branch campuses in different countries while maintaining the same academic standards as their main campuses. They assured that the same level of quality would be maintained in Bangladesh.

The two sides also reached a policy-level agreement to establish a Joint Working Group to expand cooperation in higher education, research, academic exchange, and capacity building. The platform will identify potential areas of collaboration and facilitate their implementation.

The meeting was attended by UGC members Professor Dr. Masuma Habib, Professor Dr. Abdullah-Al-Mamun, Professor Md. Mehedi Hasan Khan, Professor Dr. Md. Aslam Hossain, Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Chowdhury, UGC Secretary Dr. Md. Fakhrul Islam, Director of the International Cooperation Division Dr. Md. Sultan Mahmud Bhuiyan, Director of the Private University Management Division Mosammat Jesmin Parveen, along with other senior UGC officials.