Shifting to permanent campuses

UGC summons errant varsities

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has summoned officials of private universities to clarify their stand regarding illegal outer campuses, failure to relocate to own campuses and other lapses.
The UGC hopes for a positive outcome from the exchange of views at the meeting between the chairmen of the board of trustees and Vice-Chancellors of private universities, who will meet at the UGC auditorium today.
Education Minister, Nurul Islam Nahid, is expected to be the chief guest, while the UGC Chairman, Prof Abdul Mannan, will preside over the meeting.
The government and the UGC have maintained that many private universities are running their academic activities in breach of rules and regulations laid down in the Private University Act, 2010. At present, there are 83 private universities in the country that are catering to 63 percent students in higher education. But there are allegations that many of the universities are running illegal campuses by obtaining stay order from the court. Operation of such campuses violates the Private University Act.
According to the UGC, nine private universities are running their academic activities from more than one illegal outer campus in different parts of the country for many years, defying the law.
Though the government and the UGC warned them repeatedly to shut down the illegal campuses, these universities have shown disregard for the directions and carried on operating the illegal campuses after securing stay order from the court. According to the Private University Act 2010, it’s illegal to conduct any academic activity in any campus that is not approved by the government.
Prior to the enactment of the Private University Act, 2010, these universities mushroomed across the country since their introduction in 1992. But once the law was enacted, the government set a timeframe for the universities to shift by 2012.

With most of them missing the deadline, the government extended it to 2013. Even after that there was no headway. The government once again extended the deadline to September 2015, but with just one month to go, only 11 of the 83 private universities have shifted so far.
Professor (Dr) Abdul Mannan Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor of the Peoples University of Bangladesh told The Independent that they don’t have any illegal campus and they would shift from their present campus in Mohammadpur to Narsingdi.
“We have not been able to relocate our campus, but we will do it soon. We need some more time and would request the UGC to grant us some more time,” he added. Prof. M Mahbubur Rahman, VC of Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology said they are not operating any illegal campus. He claimed that they have an agreement with the UGC to continue their academic activities for students who got admitted in their outer campuses in May 2014, but no new admission will take place there.
About the relocation of their campus, he said, “We will go there within six months. We will request for some more time.”
UGC Chairman, Abdul Mannan, told The Independent that the private universities have to follow the law to run their universities. “It’s the duty of the UGC to assist the private universities. At present, there are 83 private universities in the country where around 63 percent students are studying. These universities stopped students from going abroad for higher education to a great extent. But they can’t be allowed to flout the law,” he said. “At present nine private universities are operating illegal campuses, defying the law as they secured stay orders from the High Court.”
“There are 27 cases against the universities that are running illegal campuses. Earlier these cases were in different courts, but now all cases are in one court. It would help us to expedite the matter,” he added.
Regarding the failure of the private universities to shift he said, “A meeting will be held with authorities of private universities on August 13 to discuss entire issue and understand their position in this regard.”
Asked whether the government and the UGC will give another extension for relocation, he said, “Nothing can be said right now. Everything will be settled after the meeting.”

 

Shifting to permanent campuses

UGC summons errant varsities

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has summoned officials of private universities to clarify their stand regarding illegal outer campuses, failure to relocate to own campuses and other lapses. The UGC hopes for a positive outcome from the exchange of views at the meeting between the chairmen of the board of trustees and Vice-Chancellors of private universities, who will meet at the UGC auditorium today. Education Minister, Nurul Islam Nahid, is expected to be the chief guest, while the UGC Chairman, Prof Abdul Mannan, will preside over the meeting. The government and the UGC have maintained that many private universities are running their academic activities in breach of rules and regulations laid down in the Private University Act, 2010. At present, there are 83 private universities in the country that are catering to 63 percent students in higher education. But there are allegations that many of the universities are running illegal campuses by obtaining stay order from the court. Operation of such campuses violates the Private University Act. According to the UGC, nine private universities are running their academic activities from more than one illegal outer campus in different parts of the country for many years, defying the law. Though the government and the UGC warned them repeatedly to shut down the illegal campuses, these universities have shown disregard for the directions and carried on operating the illegal campuses after securing stay order from the court. According to the Private University Act 2010, its illegal to conduct any academic activity in any campus that is not approved by the government. Prior to the enactment of the Private University Act, 2010, these universities mushroomed across the country since their introduction in 1992. But once the law was enacted, the government set a timeframe for the universities to shift by 2012. With most of them missing the deadline, the government extended it to 2013. Even after that there was no headway. The government once again extended the deadline to September 2015, but with just one month to go, only 11 of the 83 private universities have shifted so far. Professor (Dr) Abdul Mannan Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor of the Peoples University of Bangladesh told The Independent that they dont have any illegal campus and they would shift from their present campus in Mohammadpur to Narsingdi. We have not been able to relocate our campus, but we will do it soon. We need some more time and would request the UGC to grant us some more time, he added. Prof. M Mahbubur Rahman, VC of Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology said they are not operating any illegal campus. He claimed that they have an agreement with the UGC to continue their academic activities for students who got admitted in their outer campuses in May 2014, but no new admission will take place there. About the relocation of their campus, he said, We will go there within six months. We will request for some more time. UGC Chairman, Abdul Mannan, told The Independent that the private universities have to follow the law to run their universities. Its the duty of the UGC to assist the private universities. At present, there are 83 private universities in the country where around 63 percent students are studying. These universities stopped students from going abroad for higher education to a great extent. But they cant be allowed to flout the law, he said. At present nine private universities are operating illegal campuses, defying the law as they secured stay orders from the High Court. There are 27 cases against the universities that are running illegal campuses. Earlier these cases were in different courts, but now all cases are in one court. It would help us to expedite the matter, he added. Regarding the failure of the private universities to shift he said, A meeting will be held with authorities of private universities on August 13 to discuss entire issue and understand their position in this regard. Asked whether the government and the UGC will give another extension for relocation, he said, Nothing can be said right now. Everything will be settled after the meeting.