International symposium on engineering education quality concludes in Dhaka, Roadmap announced
An international symposium in Dhaka concluded with a new roadmap to boost engineering education quality in Bangladesh, emphasising accreditation reforms, faculty development, sustainability, and stronger social and environmental accountability.
The 4th International Symposium on Quality Assurance in Engineering Education concluded with organisers unveiling a roadmap aimed at strengthening the quality and global recognition of engineering education on Tuesday in the capital of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The two-day programme was held at the Grand Ballroom of Hotel InterContinental Dhaka and the programme is jointly organised by the Board of Accreditation for Engineering and Technical Education (BAETE) and the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB).
The symposium brought together policymakers, international experts, academics and engineering professionals to exchange views on accreditation, curriculum development and future-ready engineering education.
The second day opened with a presentation by Prof Dr Nur Yazdani on ABET and BAETE accreditation systems. He offered a comparative analysis of international and national accreditation frameworks and said strong quality assurance mechanisms were essential to ensure world-class engineering education.
Another session by Prof Dr Anisul Haque stressed the importance of outcome-based assessment systems to promote sustainable development and entrepreneurship among engineering graduates.
In another discussion, Prof Dr Md Ashraful Alam highlighted the need to integrate sustainability concepts into engineering curricula, while Dr Prue Howard and Dr Rob Jarman emphasised the importance of incorporating both social and technological perspectives into engineering education.
After that, virtually, Dr Baishakhi Bose discussed the opportunities and challenges faced by early-career faculty in the era of outcome-based education.
Together, while discussing engineering and other issues, Prof Dr Swakkhar Shatabda and Dr Sadid Muneer focused on adaptability, critical thinking and lifelong learning as key competencies for engineers in the age of rapid technological change.
After that Prof Dr Salekul Islam underlined the importance of faculty capacity building and enhancing the teaching competence of engineering educators.
Finally, in the closing session, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for ICT, said there was significant scope for improving the quality of education in Bangladesh.
“Although the number of universities has increased, we have not yet achieved the desired level of quality. International forums like this symposium can significantly contribute to improving the standard of engineering education. We must ensure quality learning for our students and invest more in producing skilled graduates,” he said.
Speaking as the chief guest, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, stressed the need for stronger social and environmental accountability among engineers.
She said river management projects in the past had damaged many rivers, and engineers must take greater responsibility for protecting public resources.
“Dhaka has a Detailed Area Plan to make the city livable, yet it is becoming increasingly unlivable in reality. Engineers must be socially and environmentally responsible. Not all problems can be solved through technical perspectives alone,” she said.
At the end, the vote of thanks in the concluding session was delivered by Prof Dr Tanvir Manzur, Chairman of BAETE. He said the symposium’s core objective was to align Bangladesh’s engineering education with international standards and to establish a sustainable quality assurance framework.
He further said the two days of discussions had produced a clear roadmap for strengthening the accreditation system, improving teacher competencies and guiding institutions towards global benchmarks.
At the end of the symposium, organisers announced an action plan focusing on enhancing accreditation capacity, expanding teacher training, strengthening university–industry collaboration and increasing international cooperation.
Organisers expressed optimism that the outcomes of the symposium would further strengthen Bangladesh’s position in global engineering education and pave the way for ensuring quality education for future generations.
