Universities should encourage case-based learning: Educationists

To understand real life properly as academia, universities should encourage case- and research-based learning for the students, Deputy Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury has said.

"Higher education in our country is extensively dependent on the teaching-learning system, which always encourages students to gather knowledge through memorisation," said Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury in a conference named "1st International Case Conference on Business and Management 2023", organised by Brac University at its auditorium on Thursday.

"A large number of students are coming to jobs every year with only rote knowledge. They have no applied knowledge. We will call this system of learning 'Hafeji' style," said the deputy education minister, adding, "We continue counting memorisation of information as education, but without practical knowledge it is not real education."

He said, "We welcome Brac University to introduce such a case- and research-based learning system in the country for the first time. It will encourage all institutions to follow the system."

Professor Syed Ferhat Anwar of the Institute of Business Administration said, "Four methods are used for learning, which are – acquisition of knowledge, dissemination of knowledge, creation of knowledge, and advancement of knowledge. Among these four, creation and advancement of Knowledge are very important, but we do not practice that."

Tamara Hasan Abed, chairman of the board of trustees of Brac University, said, "Harvard conducted a case study on Brac and Aarong. They researched the creation of Aarong, its rise, and business practices, and produced a documentary, which was shown to the students there to inform them about practical knowledge."