Introduction
The partnerships and engagements of private and public sector stakeholders in the education sector have become evidentially essential for social development and welfare of Bangladesh. However, the involvement, influence and interventions of NGOs in the development programmes and practices of Bangladesh remain quite conventional (Islam 2016; Islam and Morgan 2012). Participation of NGOs in higher education is a recent trend owing to the education policy , internal resources and social networks of the leading NGOs . Notable examples of such NGOs are BRAC (Building Resources Across Communities), formerly known as Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee and ASA (Association for Social Advancement). The universities established and operated by these NGOs portray and promote the mission of meaningful changes in tertiary education , contributing to the socio-economic development of the country. However, the critiques denote the demand-oriented frameworks and commercial operations of these NGO-operated universities to deliver the market-centric education and employable skills. This study addresses the gap in the existing literature pertaining to NGO, Human Capital Development and Tourism nexus and contributes to the tourism education literature in a context of NGO-led tertiary education and informs policy and practices in private sector university education .
NGO-Tourism Nexus, and Tourism Education
Primarily promoting tourism as a tool for community development , NGOs presence in various community-centric tourism interventions are now widely visible in different contexts, especially in the areas of alternative forms of tourism development (see Zeppel 2006; Clausen 2019; Romero Brito et al. 2016). NGOs , involved in tourism and community development , have been engaged in capacity development , awareness building and advocacy. Moreover, NGOs in tourism sector play a key role in promoting tourism education and responsible tourism development, such as the work of Tourism Concern (see Barnett 2008).
There is a rich body of literature on tourism higher education and pedagogy (see Airey 2015; Ayikoru et al. 2009; Hsu 2005; Tribe 2002; Zhang and Fan 2005). The broader umbrella of tourism education has been described as “one of the main sub-sectors of the multifaceted tourism phenomenon and one whose manifestation could impact on the whole of the tourism sector, directly or indirectly” (Ayikoru et al. 2009: p. 191). The institutional acceptance of tourism as a discipline of higher education has been increasingly evident in many countries (Walmsley 2012). However, while NGOs role is well-evident in primary education , and also in tourism-centric capacity building and awareness creation, little has been explored in terms of the involvement of NGOs in tourism education, especially the institutional participation of NGOs in tertiary education .
NGOs in Development and Tertiary Education
Inherent limitations (e.g. resources, capacity) of government, as well as the capacity and flexibility of NGOs to work in a range of development interventions, have primarily paved their ways in developing countries (see Lewis and Kanji 2009; Islam 2016). Bangladesh is well-known as a home of NGOs where thousands of NGOs are working in different areas of socio-economic development ranging from health, education , agriculture, microcredit and so forth (Devine 2003; Islam 2016). Two of the Bangladesh-origin leading NGOs have been university education providers for years. However, this further raises a question – while positive impacts of tourism are recognised as significant contributors of socio-economic development , and while NGOs promote tourism as the agent for social change and advancement, should they consider tourism education as a way forward?
Both BRAC and ASA as NGOs have been engaged with the country’s education sector, specifically the primary and technical education . In recent years, following the favourable education policy of the country, both BRAC and ASA emerged as the tertiary education providers and established private universities promising quality education . Few public universities including Dhaka University and Rajshahi University, and few private universities including East West University (EWU), European University of Bangladesh (EUB), Royal University of Dhaka (RUD) and International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT) currently offer specialised programmes in tourism. However, we have yet to see how the universities with NGOs ’ affiliation can contribute to the tourism education in Bangladesh. A brief description on both the BRAC University and the ASA University of Bangladesh becomes relevant here.
BRAC, ASA and Tertiary Education
BRAC is a widely-reputed and one of the largest NGOs in the world with its origin in Bangladesh. Its works cover a range of development and advocacy interventions with an aim to bring positive changes through economic and social programmes while enabling people to realise their potential (BRAC n.d.). Under the broader umbrella of BRAC’s initiatives, BRAC University (BRACU) was established in 2001 as a private university in Bangladesh with a mission to foster the national development process through the creation of a center of excellence in higher education that is responsive to society’s needs (BRAC University n.d.-a). The BRAC campus is located at Mohakhali in Dhaka. Alongside, following the Private University Act, the BRAC University New Campus was built at Progati Sarani in Dhaka which can cater a range of facilities to 12,000–15,000 students. Following a liberal arts approach to education BRAC University offers a range of academic programmes in the areas of business, engineering, law, public health, educational development and governance. Moreover, the university has established a number of affiliations with reputed academic and research institutions around the world (see BRAC University n.d.-b).
As an NGO ASA has a history of several decades to be able to reach a considerable position. This is one of the leading Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs) of the country. Following the success in micro-finance providing and responding to the Government of Bangladesh’s call to the private and/or non-government sectors to come forward to contribute to its education sector ASUB was established in 2007. In alignment with ASA’s aim to contribute to the development of disadvantaged people ASAUB aims to cater higher education at an affordable cost while contributing to the skilled manpower development (ASAUB n.d.). The university offers a number of programmes in the areas of business, law, science and engineering, and arts social and science.
Gazing into Crystal Ball: Tourism Education and Research in Bangladesh
The potential for tourism industry has been repeatedly reinforced in the context of Bangladesh primarily in terms of creating employment (see Das and Chakraborty 2012; Fakir and Ahmed 2017; The Daily Star 2013). Alongside, Bangladesh arguably offers a favourable set of policy instruments for tourism development (Hassan and Kokkranikal 2018; Hassan and Burns 2014). Nonetheless, Bangladesh could not capitalise on its tourism potential yet. Perhaps a lack of appropriate understanding of tourism along with an absence of competent leaders in this industry are some of the important issues in this regard. Moreover, capitalising on tourism potentials demands extensive research from different perspectives which is very limited yet in this context. These issues further reinforce the importance of institutional tourism education and research endeavours.
In this regard, universities having a backup from NGOs can appear as important contributors. These universities can have specialisation in tourism education courses and research which can be complemented by their existing capacities (e.g. research and capacity development ). NGOs in Bangladesh like BRAC and ASA have proven capacities and resources that are essential in higher education in the country. However, realising the potential for tourism as well as the associated need for tourism education, none to of these case universities offer specialised academic degrees in tourism. Some supporting arguments in this regard become essential as below:
Effective Planning and Development
The tourism industry in Bangladesh needs appropriate planning and responsible consumption for sustainable development. Industry knowledge and leadership capacity of professionals involved in such planning are essential to ensure an inclusive, resilient and sustainable tourism future. Moreover, being a continuously evolved industry, tourism planners need to have a thorough understanding of the shifting trends in the industry to cater to the changing demands. Thus, this is also relevant that the key stakeholders in tertiary education need to address tourism industry needs. In order to ensure effective planning and development , tourism graduates need to be the change agents in the tourism industry. In collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders in tourism, BRACU and ASAUB can individually and collectively play vital roles to cater to industry demand for tourism graduates as transformational agents.
Quality Education
Tourism education providers in Bangladesh have been facing serious scrutinisation in terms of offering quality education . An important step to solve this issue is to bring expertise and excellence in the course curriculum and syllabus to develop quality professionals being able to take global opportunities in more meaningful ways. Ensuring an effective tourism education is further important in the context of Bangladesh where the country constantly emphasises on the development of its tourism industry to a certain height from where this will be able to contribute more meaningfully. However, a serious shortage of skilled manpower (in this regard educators) poses a critical challenge in delivering an acceptable standard of tourism education which requires skilled, motivated and well-educated people. BRACU and ASAUB can come forward and play a significant role in delivering tourism education and conducting tourism research as these universities have experts, external links and resources required in this regard.
Collaboration with Major Universities and Institutions
Choice and capacity enhancement of the graduates supported by collaboration with the world’s leading academic and tourism institutions can be a useful strategy in terms of delivering meaningful tourism education. Collaborations with international academic institutions (e.g. research collaborations) may widen the knowledge base in terms of the industry which is important for the industry stakeholders to capitalise on its potentials. International collaborations with reputed universities would allow the selected universities in Bangladesh to become capable of designing a better curriculum aiming to bring out the capable graduates for the tourism job market. The immediate effects of such collaborations may not be visible in the short-run, however in the long-run this could be meaningful. BRACU and ASAUB seek experiences, skills and innovations for expanding collaborative approaches both in teaching and research by expanding their collaborations with the major universities and research institutions around the world which could be capitalised in terms of tourism education too.
Training and Skill Development
There is an acute shortage of skilled employees in the tourism industry of Bangladesh. This creates a huge gap between the supply and demand of skilled manpower in the industry. This industry is badly in need of diverse strategies relating to human resource development to fill the existing gap in the tourism job market. Also, the industry lacks straight manpower policies along with ambiguous job description, job specification as well as a lack of career growth. Both the BRACU and ASAUB can effectively fill the gap of skilled manpower in the country by producing competent graduates with capacities to bring dynamic changes in the industry and more broadly in the society.
Furthermore, training is an on-going process and requires the conceptualisation of the most recent phenomenon happening in the tourism industry. For the recent graduates and young tourism professionals, the career path can be challenging. Tourism courses taught by the public and private institutions in many cases lack the updated and industry focused syllabus or curriculum. A market-focused tourism academic curriculum should promote the market-oriented skill development and include the required training in this regard. This becomes essential along with the theoretical knowledge. This is true that despite of taking several measures both by the public and private sector training institutions, human resource development activities still lack professionalism to push forward the industry to a certain height. Both BRACU and ASAUB can be of support as they have years of experience in these areas.
Promoting Tourism Entrepreneurships
The creation of expert, dedicated and goal-oriented tourism entrepreneurs for the tourism industry is challenging for any country including Bangladesh. Further to this, tourism industry in Bangladesh faces inadequacies and a series of shortfalls have made this industry more vulnerable and a less preferred sector to the prospective entrepreneurs. The creation of tourism entrepreneurs requires an appropriate understanding of the industry along with the required skills. Tourism education programmes in existing public and private institutions appear as less encouraging against a need for skilled entrepreneurs. BRACU and ASAUB in this regard can come forward through integrating their business-oriented academic programmes with tourism sector’s needs. It is important here to mention that BRACU offers specialised degree in entrepreneurship under its business school (see BRAC University n.d.-c). An inclusion of tourism entrepreneurship aspects in this regard could be a meaningful way to promote and develop tourism entrepreneurs.
Conclusion
This chapter explored critical aspects of tourism education in Bangladesh and the possible engagements of NGO-affiliated universities. The study outlines the importance of effective tourism education to meet the industry needs for competent graduates. Professionalism and leadership in private and public sectors emerged as the underlying key themes for inclusive, resilient and sustainable tourism future in Bangladesh. BRACU and ASAUB with their resources, social networks, international collaborations and institutional partnerships would be able to facilitate excellence in tourism education and meaningfully contribute to human capital development in Bangladesh. Their engagement in tourism education and research at one hand can help to develop an industry knowledge base and on the other hand can facilitate the development of tourism entrepreneurs. Such an involvement in the long run is expected to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country which further aligns with the NGOs ’ goals. This study was an attempt to conceptualise the NGO-affiliated universities’ potential roles in tourism education and research in the context of Bangladesh. Further research based on empirical evidence in this regard can provide a more nuanced understanding on NGO-involved tourism education.