As competition for knowledge, innovation and skilled human resources intensifies globally, Bangladesh is seeking to position itself more prominently in the international education landscape through diplomatic effort aimed at expanding educational opportunities, research collaboration and technology partnerships across continents.
The initiative taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coordination with the Ministry of Education and other government agencies, reflects a broader policy shift that views education diplomacy as a key component of national development and human capital formation.
The ministry said the BNP-led government’s election manifesto places strong emphasis on education and research, with a vision of building a pool of teachers, researchers, writers, cultural personalities, private policy experts and young leaders through exchange programmes with countries around the world.
The initiative aims to contribute directly to Bangladesh’s long-term development by fostering knowledge-sharing and international collaboration, according to an official document of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In support of this goal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs alongside the Ministry of Education and other relevant ministries, has undertaken a range of activities to expand opportunities for international education and technological cooperation.
According to the ministry, it has been working closely with foreign governments and international organisations to increase access to scholarships, fellowships and academic exchange programmes for Bangladeshi students and researchers.
As a result, opportunities for higher education and research have expanded under several prestigious programmes including the European Union’s Erasmus+, the United Kingdom’s Chevening Scholarships, Germany’s DAAD and the Netherlands’ Orange Knowledge Programme.
Additional opportunities have also been created through India’s Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programmes, as well as Pakistan’s Knowledge Corridor and Pakistan Technical Assistance Program (PTAP) initiatives, covering undergraduate, postgraduate and professional training programmes.
The ministry said discussions are underway on a proposal from a Chinese company to provide training to Bangladeshi workers under technical and vocational education programmes aimed at facilitating employment in China.
Talks are also continuing with South Korea to increase scholarship opportunities and strengthen cooperation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, with a focus on skills development and employment prospects for Bangladeshis.
In Japan, negotiations are progressing on an Employment for Skilled Development Programme (ESDP) agreement, which both sides hope to sign by 2026 to facilitate the deployment of skilled Bangladeshi workers.
Meanwhile, Bangladeshi workers are receiving training through Australia’s Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions and local technical training centres to prepare them for employment opportunities in Australia.
The ministry said 64 Bangladeshi students currently receive scholarships annually under the Australia Awards Scholarship programme, with discussions ongoing to increase the number to 100.
To strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation in education and research, Bangladesh has signed, renewed and expanded several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with partner countries.
MoUs have already been signed with Turkey, Belarus and Greece, while agreements with Russia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, North Macedonia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Montenegro and Albania are at various stages of finalisation, renewal or expansion.
These cooperation frameworks include scholarship programmes, joint research initiatives, teacher and student exchanges, language education and technical training.
The ministry also highlighted efforts to deepen university-level cooperation with Southeast Asian countries.
Initiatives are underway to establish partnerships between Bangladeshi universities and Thailand’s Kasetsart University, Indonesia’s UIN Prof. K.H. Saifuddin Zuhri, Vietnam’s Foreign Trade University, The University of Danang and FPT University.
Bangladesh and the Philippines have already signed a MoU on nursing education, while efforts are underway to expand higher education opportunities through Indonesia’s Indonesian Aid Scholarship (TIAS) programme.
The ministry noted that Bangladeshi students currently constitute the second-largest group of international students studying in Malaysia.
In West Asia, scholarship opportunities for Bangladeshi students have been significantly expanded. The number of scholarships offered by Saudi Arabia has increased from 265 to 500, while the government of Kuwait has also responded positively to requests for additional scholarships.
At the same time, new education and research cooperation agreements with several Middle Eastern countries are under negotiation.
The ministry said cooperation with South American nations has also expanded.
Under Brazil’s PEC-G, PEC-PLE and PEC-PG programmes, Bangladeshi students are being offered tuition-free opportunities at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels, along with monthly stipends, health insurance and travel support.
Bangladesh also maintains cooperation with Brazil and Argentina in diplomatic training, while initiatives are underway to sign similar agreements with Chile, Peru, Colombia and Uruguay.
The ministry further said educational and technological cooperation with African countries has been strengthened.
Under scientific, technological, cultural and educational exchange programmes with Egypt, Bangladeshi students continue to receive scholarship opportunities annually.
Efforts are also underway to establish academic and research partnerships between Bangladeshi universities and University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, Durban University of Technology and University of Algiers.
The Foreign Ministry said Bangladesh missions abroad have been instructed to play a more proactive role in disseminating scholarship information, establishing links with foreign universities, assisting students with admissions and providing necessary consular services.
Bangladesh’s embassies are also facilitating research collaboration between local and internationally renowned universities.
In addition, under its diaspora diplomacy initiatives, the government is building networks with expatriate Bangladeshi academics and researchers to promote knowledge transfer, technology exchange and long-term capacity building for the country.