Global Universities Eye Bangladesh for Campuses, Dual Programs

• UEA explores campus and dual degree programs with BUP and MIST.
• UGC drafts policy requiring 25,000 sq ft, Tk 5 crore deposit for foreign campuses.
• UCSI University is the first approved international campus in Dhaka.

Growing numbers of international institutions are reviewing, or examining how to, open branch campuses and develop dual degree programs in Bangladesh in order to develop the quality of higher education without commercialisation, according to a report on 3 September 2025.

On 26 August, the chairman of the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC), Professor SMA Faiz, met with a delegation from UK’s University of East Anglia (UEA), MH Global Group and Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) in Dhaka to see transnational education opportunities.

The delegation’s discussions with UEA were centered on a potential campus or maybe establishing joint and dual degree programs with BUP and the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST).Faiz pledged full regulatory support, while UEA’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor Steve McGuire emphasized maintaining rigorous academic and administrative standards.

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The UGC is developing a stringent policy for foreign campuses, with a high-powered committee, led by Mohammad Anwar Hossen and including academics from Dhaka University, BUET, North South University, and Jahangirnagar University, drafting guidelines. These require a minimum of 25,000 square feet of campus space, full-time faculty, a Tk 5 crore (£306,400) deposit, and a Tk 10 lakh (£6,120) application fee. Hossen noted concerns about potential strain on local educators due to disparities in salaries and research facilities.

UCSI University in Malaysia has gained UGC and Ministry of Education approval to open a branch campus in Dhaka, the first approved branch campus of any foreign university in Bangladesh. Although the branch campus policy is under amendment to prioritize national interests, the policy aims to balance the benefits for students and institutions already operating here, while also promoting global academic partnerships.