Higher Education, Privatising Knowledge and needs of better scope for researches

Universities have not been ivory towers; they have been remarkably attentive to the needs of the society that supported them. They evolved and took on new tasks as society required, particularly in the last 20 years when they expanded to accommodate mass education; created professional schools; and became research institutions in service of the nation.

Nevertheless, universities have always had core tasks and core ideals that allowed students and concerned quarters to transform lives with new-found knowledge. Their central task is to teach moral education. Professors have responsibilities to teach, to research. Universities must be committed to knowledge. The universities and civil society are parties to a social contract. In each era, this social contract must be adapted and renegotiated.

Critics claim that professors in Bangladesh and other developing countries neglect teaching and research. They do research in favour of their own interest to gain more money through government/donor agencies/private companies/NGO researches.

Our gratitude to Dr. Subhash Mojumdar, a scientist, who has contributed his free and fair thoughts in re-writing this article.