There is no need for a new private university ordinance to ensure quality in higher education, said the vice-chancellors of different private universities yesterday.

At a roundtable in the city they stressed the need for a new accreditation council for quality control in private universities.

The roundtable titled 'Quality in Higher Education' was organised by the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh (APUB) at Cirdap auditorium.

"It is not possible to ensure quality in higher education through ordinance. If the quality education can be ensured at secondary and higher secondary levels, then the quality in higher

education will surely be ensured,” said DrZafrullah Chowdhury, vice-dhancelior of Gono Bishawbidyalaya.

The private universities should not be blamed for the absence of teachers in public universities, he said, adding, the public universities should formulate a policy, so that a teacher cannot take classes in more than one private university.

While presenting the keynote paper Prof Dr M Alimullah Miyan, vice-chancellor of International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT), said quality assurance is necessary to promote and safeguard public confidence in higher educational institutions in terms of standards, quality, employability and skills of graduates.

He said quality assurance can be promoted through establishment of an independent, autonomous, non-government body for accreditation of degree programmes in all universities of the country.

“ The accreditation should be voluntary and must be targeted to promote quality in university education through proactive activities and establishing norms of institutional conduct,” he added.

Presided over by Abul Quashem Haider, vice-chairman of APUB. the roundtable was also addressed by Prof Shamsul Haq, vice-chancellor of Northern University. Dr Rahim B Talukder of Eastern University, M A Mannan Chowdhury, Mohammad Abdullah and Mohammad Sabur Khan