Bangladesh Open University

About

Bangladesh Open University (BOU) is a unique public university in Bangladesh, established with the primary mission of providing education through open and distance learning (ODL) to a wide range of learners across the country. It is best known for its extensive reach and flexible educational delivery, making higher education accessible to those who cannot attend traditional campus-based institutions. While its programs span various fields like education, business, social sciences, and agriculture, its strongest academic contribution lies in teacher training and vocational education delivered through its ODL model. For prospective international students, BOU's experience differs significantly from conventional universities; it primarily serves a national audience, and dedicated international student services or English-taught programs are not its main focus, though its flexible learning might appeal to some. Its distinctive characteristic is being the sole public university in Bangladesh dedicated entirely to distance education, fostering lifelong learning opportunities.

Background

The Bangladesh Open University (BOU) Bengali: বাংলাদেশ উন্মুক্ত বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় (বাউবি), established on 21 October 1992, is a public university with its main campus in Board Bazar, Gazipur District, Dhaka Division. It is the 8th largest university in the world according to enrollment. As the only public university in Bangladesh to use distance education as a method of delivery, BOU is mandated to "promote through multimedia; instruction of every standard and knowledge – both general and scientific – by means of any form of communications technology, to raise the standard of education and to give the people educational opportunities by democratizing education and creating a class of competent people by raising the standard of education of the people generally."

Location

Quick facts

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