Higher Education Partnerships

USAID/Bangladesh provides opportunities for U.S. universities and colleges to develop links with Bangladesh institutions of higher education. Together universities in the U.S. and Bangladesh are well-suited to work on development problems of mutual interest. The primary objectives of this partnership are to:

• enhance the capacity of Bangladeshi institutions of higher education to address complex development issues;
• exchange expertise on development topics which are of mutual interest; and
• assist in the design and/or evaluation of international development programs involving educational institutions.

The partnerships are intended to demonstrate how universities can apply their expertise collaboratively to global and local development challenges. They also will increase the attention to and understanding of international education and development issues.

Funding for Partnerships
Some partnerships receive funding from USAID/Washington through an annual global competition. In other cases, USAID/Bangladesh provides funding for partnerships that directly contribute to our objectives.

Opportunities for USAID/Bangladesh-funded partnerships are advertised on our website as they occur. The Higher Education Partnership Program is administered by the American Council on Education's Association Liaison Office. The Liaison Office represents six major U.S. higher education associations with a membership of over 3,800 U.S. colleges and universities. Please refer to their website for further information: www.aascu.org/alo/

Current Higher Education Partnerships

• Partnership to Reduce Vulnerability to Seismic Hazards:
  
  Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University works with the National Center for Earthquake Engineering at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology on disaster preparedness and mitigation. The U.S. institution provides technical and material support to strengthen BUET/NCEE's capacity to reduce Bangladesh's vulnerability to seismic hazards.
  
  
• Partnership to Strengthen the Capacity of the Women's Studies Department at Dhaka University:
  
  Virginia Tech University is working with Dhaka University's Women's Studies Department to improve and/or design the curricula of five courses and conduct research on gender issues.