NU makes ICT course mandatory at UG level

With technical assistance from the ICT Division's Aspire to Innovate (a2i) programme and UNICEF, the National University (NU) has, for the first time, introduced a mandatory four-credit Information and Communication Technology (ICT) course at the undergraduate (UG) level.

The initiative aims to transform nearly 70 per cent of tertiary-level students in Bangladesh into skilled human resources. The course will comprise three credits for theory and one credit for practical sessions, the ICT Division said in a statement on Monday.

In the 2024-25 academic year, about 0.36 million students from 31 honours subjects at colleges and four on-campus subjects (taught directly at NU's main campus) will take the new ICT course. From the next academic year, another 0.20 million students from the undergraduate (pass) programme will join, bringing the total annual participants to 0.56 million.

However, a shortage of teachers and insufficient computer labs has been identified as a major challenge. To address this, a2i and UNICEF are providing technical support.