Dhaka, Sept 13 – The University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh on Sunday signed Annual Performance Agreements (APA) with 15 public universities of the country for the fiscal year 2020-2021 under the Performance Management Framework Policy of the government. The signing ceremony of APA for the 2020-21 fiscal year and the evaluation meeting of APA for 2019-2020 fiscal year was held at the UGC auditorium in the city.
The UGC signed the APA with 15 public universities on Sunday in the first phase. The commission will ink such agreements with 31 other public universities on Monday and Tuesday.
The APA has been introduced to enhance transparency and accountability in government activities, ensure proper utilization of resources and improve institutional capacity.
UGC Secretary (Additional Charge) Dr Ferdous Zaman and the registrars of the universities concerned signed the agreements on behalf of their respective sides.
Addressing the function digitally, UGC Chairman Prof Dr Kazi Shahidullah said the UGC has been working to ensure overall progress of higher education, ensure transparency, accountability and encourage outcome-based activities. So, the UGC has been signing APA with public universities of the country, he said.
Noting that Dr Kazi Shahidullah said several public universities are running with acting registrars and the vice-chancellors of the universities should appoint permanent their registrars quickly so that the registrars can cooperate the vice-chancellors to run universities in accordance with existing rules and regulations.
Noting that there is a lack of discipline in public universities at present, the UGC chairman said maintaining institutional rules and proper implementation of existing regulations are highly needed to take the university forward.
The UGC has been signing APA with public universities since 2016-17 fiscal year, said a release.
UGC Members- Prof Dr Dil Afroza Begum, Prof Dr Md. Sazzad Hossain, Prof Dr Muhammed Alamgir, Prof Dr Biswajit Chanda and Prof Dr Md. Abu Taher also spoke on the occasion. – UNB
