Government-University-Industry Partnership for Innovation: the Bangladesh Perspective

1. Government-University-Industry Partnership for Innovation:the Bangladesh Perspective GM Chowdhury Professor, IBA, University of Dhaka and President, University & Industry (U&I) Alliance, DU e-mail: gmc_iba@hotmail.com

2. Major Concerns • We operate in a “me too” economy where innovation is little understood, let alone being the major thrust • Government & university partnership is somewhat visible in the public sector but almost non-existent as far as the private sector is concerned • University and industry partnership is taking place at a very slow pace and happening within a very narrow zone.

3. Major Concerns contd. • Public sector universities are considered to be a responsibility of the government only. As such, industry does not seem to have any development agenda for them • The academic institutions themselves do not seem to have any action plan to develop mutually beneficial collaborative idea with the industry to explore

4. Major Opportunities • Reduce dependence of the public sector on the government by forging collaboration with the industry • Private sector universities, which have been backed by the industrialists and businessmen at an individual level should now explore the possibility of “industry support” at a corporate level • Government should extend help to the private sector universities in terms of faculty development, research grants, infrastructure facilities (including land, building and equipment) and job placement (in government and sector corporations)

5. Major Opportunities contd. • Technical assistance should be sought from international agencies and foreign institutions in promoting the idea of university, industry and government co-operation in innovation • Scope of innovation in terms of new program, research, mode of delivery, material design & development and faculty enrichment needs to be identified and acted upon

6. Major Opportunities contd. • Institutional collaboration between the academic institution within private sectors should be actively promoted • Government should form a policy for university, industry and government partnership for innovation so that the concept is translated into realties • A national forum for better understanding of the government-industry-university partnership needs to be formed immediately to get the ball rolling

7. University Industry Partnership :The Case of University & Industry (U&I) AllianceUniversity of Dhaka

8. What it is About • Established in 2004 , a non-profit management and educational consulting centre of the University of Dhaka. • Mandated to provide support to business and industry, in partnership with other public and private sector providers in this field.

9. Major Activities • Faculty Development Programmes : • Conducted for University of Dhaka and Jahangirnagar University • Other Training Programmes: • Institutional Capacity Development for bracNet • Customer Service & Relationship Marketing for Coats • Basel II • Presentation Skills & Power Point • Developing Pay Structure • 4-week Certificate Course on Managerial Finance • Human Resources Management

10. Major Activities contd. • Training in Environmental Management in Partnership with Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) • Certificate Course on “Managing and Monitoring Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP)” • Certificate Course on “Health, Safety & Environment (HSE)” • Certificate Course on “Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)” • Certificate Course on “Clean Technology and Cost Saving (CTCS)”

11. Major Activities contd. • Recruitment & HR Consultancies: • Industrial Promotion & Development Company of Bangladesh (IPDC) • Arab-Bangladesh Bank Ltd. • Trust Bank Limited • Jamuna Oil Company Limited • Meghna Petroleum Ltd. • Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation

12. Major Activities contd. • Seminar and Conferences: • Credit Transfer & Scholarships for UK Universities – University of Huddersfield, University of Worcester, University of Wales, Newport • Credit Transfer & Scholarships for National University, California, USA • Credit Transfer & Tuition Scholarships – Central Queensland University, Australia • Academic Governance – Quality Assurance & Collegiality • Reception in honor of Dr. A. Atiq Rahman, Executive Director, Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) on his receipt of the highest UN award for environment

13. THANK YOU