Bangladesh: Support to Tertiary Education Development

Education / Tertiary

Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been a long-term partner in education sector development in Bangladesh, especially in school education and skills development. ADB currently supports primary and secondary education sector-wide approaches with emphasis on Science, Mathematics, English, and use of ICT. ADB is assisting the government in expanding job-relevant training opportunities focusing on basic to mid-level skills linked with job placements through industry partnerships. From 2018, the government has requested several interventions in tertiary education development.

Building upon the achievements of past and ongoing education sector projects as well as lessons from recent engagement in tertiary education, ADB will help the government make strategic investments for tertiary education catering to specific industries' demand for improved human capital and contribute to socioeconomic transformation. Lessons from the preparatory work for the Improving Computer and Software Engineering Tertiary Education Project are (i) that wider stakeholder consultants (especially with industry and students) are crucial to inform the project design and convince universities and the government to adopt innovative approaches, and (ii) that quality and relevance improvement measures require several rounds of discussion to gather momentum for institution-wide buy-in. A technical assistance providing strategic technical inputs through resource persons and expert consultants has been highly appreciated by the government and stakeholders as the technical areas require understanding of latest industry requirements, international good practices, and innovative approaches successful in other countries. ADB will focus its efforts in specific disciplines or universities to provide integrated supports in developing new and upgraded higher education programs, addressing the gaps in quality and relevance of those programs. This approach complements the World Bank's higher education interventions aiming at improving university governance, quality assurance, and research capacity across the whole sub-sector.

The transaction TA facility will provide project preparation support and capacity building to a series of ensuing projects, comprising (i) Improving Computer and Software Engineering Tertiary Education Project (for commitment in 2020), (ii) Digital University Development Project (2020), (iii) Innovations in Tertiary Education for Competitiveness (Advanced Agriculture) Project (2021), and (iv) Innovations in Tertiary Education for Competitiveness (Garments and Textiles) Project (2022). All ensuing projects are in the tertiary education subsector, where the Ministry of Education, the University Grants Commissions, relevant universities, and industry partners will be key stakeholders in project design and implementation. The project preparation will require similar set of due diligence in technical, safeguard, poverty, social, gender, fiduciary management and economic assessment. Using a TA facility is suitable as it will enhance project preparation efficiency, strengthen incorporation of lessons in new project designs; and improve project implementation readiness by (i) allowing the same experts and consultants to be mobilized for similar due diligence activities, (ii) facilitating learning on project processing and implementation across different projects, and (iii) providing technical inputs and capacity development opportunities to accelerate project readiness and initial implementation processes.

The transaction TA facility will provide implementation support to the ensuing projects as well as policy advisory based on studies and consultations where ADB can add value addition, based on the implementation of ensuing projects. This transaction TA facility is included in the country operations and business plan 2020-2022 for Bangladesh, as a transaction TA with the title _Support to Innovations in Tertiary Education for Competitiveness.