Dhaka University (DU) has been allocated the highest budget for the upcoming fiscal year, receiving Tk804.41 crore for revenue and Tk20 crore for research activities.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) approved a total budget of Tk11,690.04 crore for managing and developing 55 public universities for the 2024-25 fiscal year during a meeting of held on 12 June.
This marks a substantial increase from the revised budget of Tk9,155.36 crore for the ongoing fiscal year ending in June, though the proposed budget was Tk12,262.78 crore for public universities.
“This year’s budget aims to improve the quality of education in universities, establish infrastructure for more advanced research, and strengthen the capacity for innovative research,” said Acting UGC Chairman Professor Muhammad Alamgir.
The new proposed budget includes Tk188.65 crore for research, up from Tk145.30 crore in the current year’s revised budget.
An additional Tk33 crore has been allocated for specific research initiatives, including Tk10 crore for foreign PhD scholarships for public university teachers.
Professor Alamgir highlighted the growth in various funding sources: “The growth rate of government grants is 5.57%, the universities’ own income has increased by 8.40%, and the research funding has increased by 29.80%.”
He urged universities to implement the budget in line with government and UGC financial policies, manage expenditures wisely, and increase their own income.
The commission also approved policies for the appointment, promotion, and upgrading of university staff, as well as the Collaborative Research Grants Policy 2023 and the Uniform Financial Policy and Accounts Manual 2024.
