BOU stresses skill-based education in MSARL curriculum development

Bangladesh Open University (BOU) has held a curriculum development meeting to formulate an Outcome-Based Education (OBE) curriculum for its Master in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Livelihood (MSARL) programme, with an emphasis on quality, practical skills and industry-relevant higher education.
The meeting was held on 17 October at the university’s Gazipur campus under the School of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Speaking as the chief guest, BOU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan stressed the need to ensure the practical application of knowledge and skills to make higher education effective, quality-driven and up to date.
He said curriculum formulation and revision were essential for enabling students to identify real-world problems and develop effective solutions.
The vice-chancellor also emphasised practical, research-based and timely education to develop skilled human resources in sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods. He called for coordinated efforts to develop curricula meeting international standards.
Professor Dr Md Sirajul Islam, dean of the School of Agriculture and Rural Development, chaired the meeting. He expressed hope that the initiative would help improve the quality of higher education and develop skilled human resources for sustainable agriculture and rural development.
The meeting reviewed the existing curriculum and discussed the development of a timely, outcome-oriented framework. Discussions focused on programme- and course-level learning outcomes, teaching methods, assessment systems and alignment with professional requirements.
Participants also exchanged views on sustainable agriculture, natural resource management, climate change mitigation, rural livelihoods and the development of skilled human resources for the agro-based economy.