It is possible that Bangladesh has started to fund academic-industry collaboration, but such funding is still transactional and not supporting knowledge dissemination across AIG. Hence, it is not a surprise that the 2025 Global Innovation Index reporting by World Intellectual Property Organisation placed Bangladesh in the 124th position out of the 139 economies regarding industry research and development collaboration
Academia-industry-government (AIG) partnerships have long been an aspiration globally. Such partnership represents strategic alliance among these three stakeholders for knowledge exchange, innovation, and workforce capability development, helping all stakeholders win the best results by blending theories and practices. This partnership is clear enough -- as the universities need to supply a capable workforce that the industries and government convert to successful leaders who deliver market innovations and sustainable economy. Merits of AIG partnerships are felt by individual citizens, since they enjoy quality education and become members of a capable entrepreneur or employable graduate cohort. At a macro level, the partnership achieves further gains, including GDP growth through successful research and development towards fulfilling SDG agenda and increase in employment of university graduates.
Does the above explanation of AIG partnership seem utopian or overly simplistic or overly Western-oriented for Bangladesh? While lack of data makes it difficult to assess whether Bangladesh has progressed well with AIG partnerships, it should be acknowledged that the context and challenges of such partnerships in Bangladesh are not the same as that of a developed country. The International Labour Organisation (ILO), in the 2024 Global Youth Employment report, highlighted the mismatch between qualification and job requirements as a global issue. However, the concern is more severe in developing countries, with 66 per cent of the young adult workers suffering from such mismatch. Table 1 provides certain data to infer an understanding of the AIG partnership scene in Bangladesh, against globally significant developed and developing economies.
As reported in Table 1, Bangladesh education sector has seen proliferation in the number of private universities. This level of private sector growth in education is also noted in the USA, and to some extent, in India and Pakistan. Bangladesh is reported to spend an encouraging share of GDP for funding Academia-industry collaboration, particularly in comparison to the same in South Asia. However, the country lags behind in respect of joint publications, i.e., collaborative knowledge-dissemination by academia and industry. As we place the two datasets side by side (item 5 and 3), a concern arises about effective spending for AIG partnership. It is possible that Bangladesh has started to fund academic-industry collaboration, but such funding is not supporting knowledge dissemination across AIG. Hence, it is not a surprise that the 2025 Global Innovation Index reporting by World Intellectual Property Organization placed Bangladesh in the 124th position out of the 139 economies regarding industry research and development collaboration.
Another highlight for Bangladesh is universities' contribution to the SDG agenda, with more than 20 universities included in the QS World Sustainability ranking list. A university listed in sustainability ranking by QS reflects the positive reputation of the university initiatives, especially about sustainability research agenda and delivering graduates who are aware of social and environmental impact. In general, evidence collated in Table 1 support a case for holistic AIG partnerships in Bangladesh, aiming for a similar scenario like that of Singapore or Germany.
The "holistic" part in AIG partnership is about being strategic and effective in knowledge exchange, innovation, and workforce capability development. While this is not a one size fits all solution, the established frameworks, namely, Triple Helix model, provides guidelines for universities to move in this direction. In line with this model, there should be an ecosystem of universities, industries and government to continuously integrate knowledge, wealth and regulation and governance towards innovations that address societal concerns.
Singapore has progressed well with AIG partnerships, with example cases like National University of Singapore (NUS). Research priorities at NUS are aligned with the Government's strategic direction and then, the industry earns tax incentives for co-designing innovation at NUS labs. Similar success is noted in various other universities, including Technical University of Munich, Stanford University, Indian University of Technology Madras, National University of Science and Technology in Pakistan and Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU).
BAU addressing the societal need for food self-sufficiency and high-yield variety in farming is a rare success in Bangladesh. The premise to aim higher for AIG partnership becomes more urgent, when we stack the role of the 116 private universities in Bangladesh. Out of the long list of private universities, only a few have shown progress in this area. For example, only 10 private universities were included in the 2026 QS Sustainability Ranking. A holistic approach for AIG partnership should promote establishment of only those private universities that are equipped for contributing to societal knowledge, innovation and workforce capability that Bangladesh needs.
There are plenty of roadmaps and models of AIG partnerships that Bangladesh private universities can learn from. A worry is that any model of AIG partnerships will fail if any of the three stakeholders is not true to the intent for addressing the societal needs. Recent launch of research grants that promote AIG (for example, ICSETEP, BIRDI), which amount to more than TK. 110 crore in the year 2024/2025, from Bangladesh government and international bodies is expected to fuel momentum for AIG in Bangladesh.
Reflecting on authors' personal experience in academia, it seems Bangladesh universities are facing gaps in governance rather than funding for holistic practice of AIG partnership. An overarching governance layer that provides an advisory body of industry practitioners, government bureaucrats and public and private university academics with the right mindset could be the missing puzzle here. This body should have the authority and capability to synchronise the government's strategic direction with industry development and university education in Bangladesh.
Dr. Nazlee Siddiqui, Director, MBA & EMBA Programs, North South University (NSU); nazleesiddiqui@gmail.com; Syed Mansur Hashim, Director, Public Relations; NSU; hashimsyedmansur@gmail.com