UGC to track 15 years of university research funding

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is preparing a research repository to track how university research funds were spent and what they produced over the past 15 years.

The move comes amid debate over the government’s decision to place Tk 226 crore in public university research funding under a central UGC account for 2026–27, instead of providing separate allocations under individual university budget codes.

Talking to The Daily Star at his office, UGC Chairman Prof Mamun Ahmed said the commission had no consolidated record of how previous allocations were spent, whether they were need-based, what they produced, or whether similar projects had been funded at several universities.

He said the repository would map allocations, projects and outcomes, helping the commission assess earlier investments before approving fresh funding.

UGC had no consolidated record of how previous allocations were spent, whether they were need-based, or what they produced. The repository would map allocations, projects, and outcomes, helping the commission assess earlier investments before approving fresh funding.

Prof Mamun Ahmed, UGC chairman

Prof Mamun referred to laboratories and equipment purchased under the Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project, saying some facilities were no longer functional. Without tracking past investments, the UGC could not properly assess fresh requests for similar facilities, he added.

Official records show that Tk 200 crore earmarked for public university research and Tk 26 crore under the UGC’s research head were merged at an April 4 finance ministry meeting to avoid duplication. The Finance Division communicated the decision on April 8.

The issue came into focus after Dhaka University approved its Tk 1,033.21 crore budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year without a direct UGC research allocation for the first time.

DU had proposed Tk 21.03 crore for research in FY2026-27.

Amid criticism, the UGC issued a clarification on July 3, saying research funding had not been withdrawn, adding that the allocation of Tk 226 crore was around 13 percent higher than in the previous fiscal.

However, university teachers and administrators raised concerns over academic independence, administrative complications and possible delays in releasing funds.

The UGC later held talks with the Bangladesh University Council, a platform of public university vice-chancellors, on July 9 over the matter, where the council president Prof SM Abdur Razzaq stressed the need to preserve autonomy of universities.

Prof Mamun also said the council had been asked to nominate three to five representatives to work with UGC officials on a guideline for managing and releasing the funds.

He said universities would continue to invite research proposals, review them through their own processes and prepare the final lists.

“We [UGC] will take only two weeks to check whether there is duplication,” he added.

UGC sources said the commission on July 2 asked public universities to submit their 2026–27 research plans, subhead-wise requirements and budget estimates by July 15,  along with details of allocations and actual expenditure for 2024–25 and 2025–26, and documents covering grants, project selection, fund release, monitoring and accountability.