BM Report:

The Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) Project, a joint initiative of the Government of Bangladesh and the World Bank, is expected to play a significant role in improving the quality and transforming higher education in Bangladesh.

The project, which was launched in July 2023, aims to develop market-demand-driven curricula; improve the quality of higher education and increase the digital connectivity of educational institutions; provide training for teachers and establish a training academy; build academic and residential buildings for the Asian University for Women; establish a regional network for female students at women’s colleges and universities in Bangladesh; strengthen the capacity of the Bangladesh Digital Education Network (BDREN); accelerate the activities of the Bangladesh Accreditation Council (BAC); establish innovation labs; and launch innovative research projects.

The project has a budget of Tk4,165.57 crore, of which Tk2,334.46 crore will be provided by the government of Bangladesh and Tk1,983.11 crore by the World Bank.

The project is expected to benefit over 1.5 million students and faculty members at 100 universities and colleges across Bangladesh. It is also expected to create 10,000 new jobs in the education sector.

“The HEAT project is a landmark initiative that will help to transform higher education in Bangladesh,” said Muhammad Alamgir, Chairman of the Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC). “The project will help to improve the quality of education, increase the relevance of curricula to the needs of the labor market, and strengthen the capacity of universities and colleges.”

Professor Alamgir said that the project would also help to promote regional cooperation in higher education. “The project will help to establish a regional network for female students at women’s colleges and universities in Bangladesh,” he said. “This will help to promote women’s empowerment and leadership.”

The project is expected to be completed in 2028.