Country’s no university neither public nor private has found any place at the top level of Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University ranking of 2023 published on Wednesday. This year’s QS World University Rankings include almost 1,500 institutions from around the world.
It is not just iconic institutions that take the top spots: this year’s highest rankings include universities from diverse locations across Europe, Asia and North America. In our country Dhaka University (DU), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) and other prestigious universities have failed to make any progress in the QS ranking.
DU and Buet have been ranked in 801-1000 bracket and their positions have remained static over the last five years. Like previous year, two more Bangladeshi universities—North South University and BRAC University—have been ranked in 1001-1200 bracket.
Our universities must pay more attention on conducting
researches in order to build skilled human resources
The QS ranks universities based on the following criteria: academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, international students ratio, international research network and employment outcomes. In this context, our teachers and students of universities must pay more attention on conducting researches in order to build skilled human resources for the country.
Countries higher educational institutions like public and private universities and other research based organisations will have to play a key role in building skilled human resources to keep pace with the world. It has been noticed that lack of support for research and dearth of quality publications are the main reasons for Bangladeshi universities lagging behind in most of the world rankings. Therefore, the government will have to increase the budget of the country’s public and private universities for research activities.
Academics, researchers, economists, technologists, policymakers and faculties will have to conduct more basic and applied researches and foster innovation in the light of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We would have to conduct more researches in every sector particularly on the potential ones to make our development sustainable.
Country’s leading universities will have to play the key role to elevate the country’s quality of education to the highest level. In terms of ensuring quality of education and research, we are yet to meet our expected level in global ranking.
The challenge before our policymakers who aspire to lead us through the 21st century towards attaining developed country status is not just to expand but to elevate the quality of learning in our public institutions to the highest levels. Therefore, the universities both public and private should be turned into hubs of research for generating knowledgeable and competent nation-building workforces.
