University for 7 colleges: Ordinance issued, to operate like National University

The interim government has issued an ordinance to establish a new university named 'Dhaka Central University' for seven major public colleges in Dhaka, paving the way for the formal launch of the institutional activities.

Although the wording in official documents differs, the new university will function largely in the same way as the National University. The seven colleges in Dhaka will now conduct their academic activities as ‘attached’ colleges under the new university.

Since 2017, these colleges had been under Dhaka University, and before that they operated as ‘affiliated’ colleges of the National University.

The ordinance states that the seven colleges in the Dhaka metropolitan area—Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Government Titumir College, Government Bangla College, Begum Badrunnessa Government Mohila College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College and Kabi Nazrul Government College—will remain as ‘attached colleges’ of Dhaka Central University.

The identity, characteristics, infrastructure, movable and immovable properties, and other existing facilities of the colleges will remain intact.

Under the ordinance, the seven colleges in Dhaka metropolitan area that are academically ‘attached’ with this university will follow the university’s prescribed curriculum, examination system and certification process for undergraduate, honours and postgraduate degree programmes. At the same time, the new university will also run its own academic programmes.

The ordinance says the new university will be responsible for determining curricula, conducting examinations, teaching undergraduate and postgraduate levels, research, conferring degrees, and organising student union elections among other duties at the university as well as its ‘attached’ colleges.

A full administrative structure has been provided for the university, including a chancellor, vice-chancellor, senate, syndicate and academic council. The president will serve as chancellor and will appoint a vice-chancellor for a four-year term from a panel of three nominated by the senate.

The academic council will be the university’s principal academic body and will oversee various academic matters, including determining curricula, syllabuses and teaching processes for the university and its ‘attached’ colleges.

The ordinance states, the university will have schools of arts, science, social science, business studies, law, fine arts, as well as other schools to be determined by regulations. Additional schools may be formed by dividing existing schools, merging schools, creating new schools or by any other means.

The schools will operate under the supervision of the academic council and will be responsible for teaching, curriculum management and research in their designated subjects.

Here, the term ‘school’ is essentially used as an alternative to faculties. A school refers to an integrated structure of departments or disciplines related to the university’s academic management and serves as a substitute for a faculty. While faculties are headed by deans, schools will be led by a “head of school”.

In the controversial initial draft, there had been plans to introduce separate school-based academic activities for individual colleges. For example, it proposed running the School of Science on the campuses of Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College and Begum Badrunnessa Mohila College. That provision has been removed in the final ordinance.

Based on Secondary and Higher Secondary examination results, admission test results and students’ preferences, students will be admitted on merit to schools or disciplines at the university’s main campus or at its ‘attached’ colleges.

The ordinance also provides for the construction of a permanent, self-sufficient campus for the university. Until the university’s own campus is built, arrangements have been made to run academic activities on a temporary basis.

The crisis surrounding the seven colleges in Dhaka is not new. In 2017, the colleges were brought under Dhaka University from the National University without adequate preparation.

Amid prolonged administrative and academic complications, and following sustained student protests, the government announced in January last year that the seven colleges would be separated from Dhaka University.

The government then moved to merge the colleges and form a new university. However, differences of opinion among teachers and students over the proposed structure led to fresh protests.

In this situation, the Ministry of Education revised the draft ordinance, which was recently approved at a meeting of the advisory council. The ordinance was finally issued on Sunday.