R&D priority at unis key to skilled manpower: Experts

Research and Development should get more priority in both public and private universities to produce skilled graduates who can meet local and global market demands, academicians and industry owners said today. 

Speaking at a roundtable titled "Strengthening Collaboration between the Private Sector & Academia: The Way Forward", they highlighted the need to focus on mitigating the requirement and skill gap.

At the event, organised by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), academicians from different public and private universities discussed the challenges of industry-academia collaboration.

DCCI President Ashraf Ahmed highlighted the growing challenge of unemployment among graduates, noting that despite 2 million graduates entering the job market annually, many remain jobless. 

According to the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), unemployment among graduates in the country is 66%. 

Ashraf Ahmed also referenced a World Bank survey that found 46% of employers struggle to find job seekers with the necessary skills and 69% report shortages of skilled manpower for technical and managerial roles. 

He said the lack of skilled manpower leads to hiring experts from abroad, resulting in significant capital outflow. 

"Due to a lack of skills, our manpower is not getting high-paying jobs abroad. Industry and academia need to work together to develop both soft and hard skills of our graduates," he said.

The DCCI President further suggested that collaborative research between universities and the private sector on contemporary issues could enrich learning on macroeconomic matters. 

ULAB Vice Chancellor Professor Imran Rahman expressed concern over the high unemployment rate among graduates, which stands at around 40%. 

He proposed apprenticeship programs to provide practical learning experiences alongside theoretical education. 

Professor Imran also called for a stronger emphasis on ICT and science-based education to keep pace with global advancements. "Many of our subjects or curricula do not have much demand in the global market," he noted. 

He recommended that private funding for university R&D and student projects should receive tax benefits.

BUET Professor Muhammad Anisuzzaman Talukder stressed the need for strong trust between industry and academia to foster effective collaboration. 

AKM Waresul Karim, professor of North South University, Brigadier General Mohammad Saadat Hossain, dean at Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Ltd Col (Retd) Khondoker Zahirul Alam, director, international affairs, BUP, Mohammad Zahedul Alam, Professor, BUP, Md Yeashir Arafat, Assistant Director, FBS, BUP, Md Abdur Rahman, Pro-Vice Chancellor of AIUB and Partha P Chowdhury, professor of AIUB, were, among others, spoke in the discussion. They highlighted the importance of utilising corporate CSR funds for university research and development work. 

"If we do not provide competitive salaries for skilled and talented graduates, they may become discouraged and seek better opportunities abroad."

They also called for a faster approval process for new curricula by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and emphasised the need for research-based data to understand industry demands over the next decade. 

They also requested the private sector to come forward for students' project funding.