Linking up German, Bangla universities to groom quality fashion designers
Syed Ishtiaque Reza | Saturday, 23 August 2008
Bangladesh has excelled in the textile sector. Over the decades the country has been an established name in the global textile arena, thanks to the rise of the readymade garment (RMG) sector, which is at present not only the flagship export-oriented sector, but also the largest employer.
International efforts are on to create more skilled manpower and facilitate technology transfer to the sector to strengthen its market position.
Those, who are extending their support to the local textile and clothing sector, believe the country now needs to change its identity from a sewing machine operator to a land of high quality fashion designers. Under such a move a German university has taken up initiatives to create skilled manpower for the sector.
Initially, four local private universities having textile, clothing or fashion designing departments have been primarily selected to receive this support. These are: Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, Shanto Mariam University of Creative Technology, City University, and the University of Development Alternatives (UODA).
'Our main target is improvement of the technological knowledge of the present and future textile engineers,' said Prof. Marie-Lousie Klotz, Dean of the Textile and Clothing Technology, Germany's Niederrhein University of Applied Science.
Prof. Klotz, who visited Dhaka recently to make an assessment of the educational institutions, told the FE that it would be a great opportunity for Bangladesh's future textile engineers and designers to know about the best of textile technologies in the largest university of Europe.
Outlining the project activities, Prof. Klotz said through exchange programmes teachers from these universities would go to Niederrhein University of Applied Science for advanced training. There will be an exchange programme of students too, she added.
'The objective of this project is not only to teach, but to deliver practical knowledge,' she said, adding that the main philosophy is 'better learning, better living.'
Prof. Klotz said Bangladesh has made huge success in the readymade garment sector as well as in the textile sector, but the success would not be sustained if the industry fails to cope with the fast changing technology.
In addition to textile technology, fashion designing is also very important, in which area Bangladesh needs improvement, she observed.
Declining to comment on funding, Prof. Klotz said, 'It is not only funding, the more important aspect is prepare Bangladesh for the global market.'
International efforts are on to create more skilled manpower and facilitate technology transfer to the sector to strengthen its market position.
Those, who are extending their support to the local textile and clothing sector, believe the country now needs to change its identity from a sewing machine operator to a land of high quality fashion designers. Under such a move a German university has taken up initiatives to create skilled manpower for the sector.
Initially, four local private universities having textile, clothing or fashion designing departments have been primarily selected to receive this support. These are: Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, Shanto Mariam University of Creative Technology, City University, and the University of Development Alternatives (UODA).
'Our main target is improvement of the technological knowledge of the present and future textile engineers,' said Prof. Marie-Lousie Klotz, Dean of the Textile and Clothing Technology, Germany's Niederrhein University of Applied Science.
Prof. Klotz, who visited Dhaka recently to make an assessment of the educational institutions, told the FE that it would be a great opportunity for Bangladesh's future textile engineers and designers to know about the best of textile technologies in the largest university of Europe.
Outlining the project activities, Prof. Klotz said through exchange programmes teachers from these universities would go to Niederrhein University of Applied Science for advanced training. There will be an exchange programme of students too, she added.
'The objective of this project is not only to teach, but to deliver practical knowledge,' she said, adding that the main philosophy is 'better learning, better living.'
Prof. Klotz said Bangladesh has made huge success in the readymade garment sector as well as in the textile sector, but the success would not be sustained if the industry fails to cope with the fast changing technology.
In addition to textile technology, fashion designing is also very important, in which area Bangladesh needs improvement, she observed.
Declining to comment on funding, Prof. Klotz said, 'It is not only funding, the more important aspect is prepare Bangladesh for the global market.'