Universities in Bangladesh represent about 150 academic bodies of the conventional higher education institution (HEI) in Bangladesh. Segmented by management and financial structure, these include 43 public universities, 103 private universities, 3 international universities, 31 specialized colleges, and 2 special universities. There are specialized universities in both categories offering courses principally in technological studies, medical studies, business studies and Islamic studies. There are two private universities dedicated solely to female students. The number of universities is growing mostly in and around the capital city of Dhaka.
There are about 1688 [1] colleges organized under the umbrella of Bangladesh National University — one of the largest in the world. The Open University offers distance learning courses. There is a parallel religious high-ed education system. And amongst private higher education institutions, the Universal College Bangladesh is the pioneer of bringing together world's best universities such as Monash College Pathway program and London School of Economics and Political Science in Bangladesh, where you can obtain foreign degree from the Dhaka city campus.
The University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC) is the regulatory body of all the public (government funded) and private universities of Bangladesh. The Private University Act of 1992 paved the way for vigorous sprouting of private universities. 80% of its universities are in their infancy. There is a severed shortage in higher education capacity. The country is yet to have any research and education network (REN) or digital library consortium (DLC).
Bangladesh has 53 [2] public universities instructing the bulk of higher studies students. They that are funded by the government and managed as self-governed government institutions.
Private universities in Bangladesh came into being after institution of the Private University Act of 1992. As of 2019, over 103 of them had started. These universities follow an open credit system.
There has been much controversy around the private universities and their practices. Eleven universities went operational without a UGC approval which was made a necessity under the Private University Act (1992). Twenty-seven private universities were found running without a vice-chancellor. Ten universities were issued a deadline of one year from the UGC to improve qualities. Eight universities the UGC of Bangladesh recommended for shutting down due to poor quality of academic standards. Some were served with show-cause notice by judicial authorities asking why it would not be closed down. At least eleven private universities introduced new academic courses without UGC approval. Others were found to deliver instructions in unauthorized courses and have illegal campuses.
In India, a deemed university or deemed-to-be-university is an accreditation granted to higher educational institutions in India by the Ministry of Education. According to the ministry's definition, the accreditation indicates, "an Institution of higher education, other than universities, working at a very high standard in specific area of study" and the accreditation grants "the academic status and privileges of a university."
Private universities and private colleges are institutions of higher education, not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. They may receive from governments tax breaks, public student loans, and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities may be contrasted with public universities and national universities. Many private universities are nonprofit organizations.
University Grants Commission (UGC) is a statutory body under Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India. It was set up in accordance to the UGC Act 1956 and is charged with coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education in India. It provides recognition to universities in India, and disbursements of funds to such recognized universities and colleges. The headquarters are in New Delhi, and it has six regional centres in Pune, Bhopal, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Bangalore. A proposal to replace it with another new regulatory body called HECI is under consideration by the Government of India. The UGC provides doctoral scholarships to all those who clear JRF in the National Eligibility Test. On an average, each year ₹725 crore (US$91 million) is spent on doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships by the commission.
Aliah University is a public state university in New Town, West Bengal, India. Previously known as Mohammedan College of Calcutta, it was elevated to university in 2008.
Dhaka College also known as DC is one of the most important as well as the earliest higher secondary educational institution of Bangladesh located in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. It offers higher secondary education. It has Honours and Master's programs as well which are affiliated with the University of Dhaka.
Vidyasagar University was established by an Act of the West Bengal legislature which was notified in the Calcutta Gazette on 24 June 1981. It is an affiliating university in Paschim Medinipur district of southern West Bengal, India. It offers courses at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels.
Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, commonly known as AUST, is a private University in Bangladesh. It was founded by the Dhaka Ahsania Mission in 1995.
Royal University of Dhaka (RUD) is a private university in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The University Grants Commission (UGC) approved the academic programs on July 30, 2003, with a temporary licence, and on August 30, 2003, the Ministry of Education approved RUD under the Private University Act, 1992. RUD started functioning in 2004. Momtaz Begum, a philanthropist and social worker, is the founder chairperson. RUD operates at two campuses: the main campus and the permanent campus. The main campus is situated at Dhaka and the permanent campus is located at Plot 404, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka 1208. In 2023, the university was given time to switch to its permanent campus or face permanent suspension.
Southern University Bangladesh is a private university in Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Southeast University or SEU is a private university in Tejgaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The university was established under the Private University Act, 1992 approved by the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Its permanent campus is in 251/A & 252, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. SEU ranked 12th among Top Private universities in Dhaka Tribune's Private University Ranking 2019.
The University Of Development Alternative (UODA) is a private university in Bangladesh.
Jagannath University (JnU) is a public university located in Sadarghat, Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Founded as Dhaka Brahma School in 1858 and renamed Jagannath School in 1872, the 158-year-old institution was taken over by the then Pakistan government in 1968. It opened graduate and post-graduate programmes in 1975 and was approved as a full-fledged public university in 2005.
The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) or Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) or Higher Secondary Education Certificate (HSE) is a secondary education qualification in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. It is equivalent to the final year of high school in the United States and GCE A level in the United Kingdom.
Darul Ihsan University or DIU was a private university in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was founded by late Syed Ali Ashraf in 1989. The government of Bangladesh accredited it as a private university in 1993. The Education Ministry shut down the university on 26 July 2016 for illegally operating numerous branch campuses and for selling higher degree certificates.
Bangladesh University of Business and Technology or BUBT is a private university in Bangladesh, located in Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The People's University of Bangladesh or PUB is a non-profit educational institution located at Dhaka, Bangladesh.
West Coast University of Panama is a higher education provider based in Panama.
Notre Dame University Bangladesh or NDUB is a private Catholic research university in Bangladesh. Located in Motijheel, Dhaka, the university was founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross in 2013. After receiving approval from the Ministry of Education, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, and University Grants Commission (UGC), Notre Dame University Bangladesh commenced its academic activities in the fall of 2014.