Staff Reporter :
In a landmark move for higher education in Bangladesh, BRAC University has officially launched the country’s first PhD programme in the private university sector.
The inauguration ceremony was held on Monday evening at the university’s permanent campus in Merul Badda, Dhaka. The programme is being introduced in collaboration with the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.
The initiative was confirmed by both BRAC University and the University Grants Commission (UGC), with senior UGC officials and university representatives attending the event.
According to UGC sources, the doctoral programme will be conducted jointly with SOAS, a constituent college of the University of London, marking a significant advancement in academic offerings within Bangladesh’s private higher education sector.
Until now, the absence of doctoral-level programmes at private universities had been a subject of ongoing debate. While there has long been demand for such programmes, the UGC had previously withheld approval, citing concerns over institutional readiness and academic quality.
That stance changed in May this year when UGC Chairman Professor Dr. S.M.A. Faiz announced that private universities demonstrating adequate academic infrastructure and capability would be permitted to offer PhD programmes.
Just one month after the policy shift, BRAC University has become the first private institution to receive the UGC’s approval to begin offering doctoral studies-paving the way for others to follow and signalling a new era in the country’s higher education landscape.
