The British Council Bangladesh has successfully concluded the ten-day Training of Trainers (ToT) for the Senior Faculty Professional Development Programme, delivered under the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) Project. The programme marks a significant milestone in strengthening academic leadership and establishing a sustainable professional development ecosystem for higher education institutions across Bangladesh.
The HEAT Project, implemented by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh under the Ministry of Education with support from the World Bank, aims to enhance the quality, relevance, governance, and international competitiveness of higher education in Bangladesh. As the HEAT Project’s technical partner, the British Council has led the design and partial implementation of the Senior Faculty Professional Development Programme, including the development of the curriculum, training resources, and the capacity development of Master Trainers and National Trainers.
Held from 21 June to 1 July 2026 in Cox’s Bazar, the residential programme brought together 15 distinguished senior academics from public and private universities across Bangladesh. The cohort included present and former Vice-Chancellors, Deans, Treasurers, Heads of Department, and Directors of Institutional Quality Assurance Cells (IQACs), reflecting a diverse group of academic leaders with the potential to drive institutional transformation.
Designed by the British Council in collaboration with Advance HE (UK) and leading Bangladeshi higher education experts, the programme adopted an interactive and participant-centred approach that combined international expertise with local knowledge. Participants explored contemporary approaches to strategic governance, quality assurance, curriculum leadership, teaching excellence, research leadership, industry-academia collaboration, and institutional transformation through expert-led sessions, case studies, collaborative learning, and reflective practice.
The closing ceremony was attended by Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh, as the Chief Guest. Other distinguished guests included Stephen Forbes, Country Director, British Council Bangladesh; Professor Dr. Asaduzzaman, Project Director of the HEAT Project; Dr. Borhan Uddin Khan, Professor, Department of Law, University of Dhaka; Dr. Ben Brabon, Consultant, Advance HE, UK; members of the local consultant team; representatives of the British Council and the HEAT Project; and senior academic leaders from universities across Bangladesh.
During the ceremony, certificates were awarded to the 15 Master Trainers in recognition of their completion of the programme. Certificates of appreciation were also presented to the national and international facilitators in recognition of their expertise and commitment to delivering the programme.
Over the ten-day programme, participants engaged in interactive workshops, practical exercises, peer learning, and reflective discussions covering six key thematic areas of academic leadership and institutional development: Strategic Governance; Quality Assurance and Internationalisation; Curriculum Leadership and Student Support; Teaching Excellence and Assessment Reform; Research Leadership; and Industry-Academia Collaboration.
The ceremony also featured reflections from participating Master Trainers and members of the consultant team, who shared their experiences and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening teaching, learning, and academic leadership across Bangladesh’s higher education institutions.
The completion of this first cohort marks a significant milestone in the HEAT Project’s long-term vision of establishing a sustainable national faculty development ecosystem. The newly trained Master Trainers will play a leading role in delivering future Training of Trainers programmes, helping to prepare a wider cohort of National Trainers who will strengthen professional development capacity across Bangladesh’s higher education sector.
Looking ahead, the British Council will continue to support the next phase of the Senior Faculty Professional Development Programme through its partnership with the HEAT Project, drawing on international expertise and national collaboration to strengthen national capacity for faculty development. As the network of Master Trainers and National Trainers continues to grow, it will contribute to a scalable and sustainable system for the professional development of university teachers, supporting ongoing improvements in teaching excellence, academic leadership, institutional quality, and innovation across Bangladesh’s higher education sector.