A crucial question confronts us today: Should universities in Bangladesh continue operating as they did in the last century, or must they now redefine their purpose to meet the evolving expectations of both society and employers?
How long can academia persist in viewing universities as largely theoretical spaces -- removed from real-world needs and protected within an “ivory tower” of exclusivity?
And in a rapidly changing labour market, can we still justify the claim that improving graduate employability falls outside the mandate of higher education?
Around the world, universities are more numerous than ever. Yet the environment in which they operate has changed dramatically. Technology is reshaping industries, economic structures are shifting, and social expectations are evolving faster than educational systems can adjust. This has produced widespread uncertainty about the purpose of universities -- and growing skepticism about their relevance.
If higher education institutions wish to remain meaningful national institutions, they must break free from outdated routines and redefine their roles in ways that reflect today’s realities.
The transformational-transactional paradox
Universities today are pulled in two sharply opposing directions. On one side is society’s expectation that higher education will produce graduates who can thrive in complex, unpredictable environments.
Meeting this expectation requires adaptive abilities such as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, resilience, entrepreneurship, and a commitment to lifelong learning. These abilities cannot be packaged or “delivered” through a single course. These capacities are not “deliverables.” They emerge through sustained engagement, reflection, and exposure to diverse academic challenges. This is the transformational mission of universities.
On the other side lies the increasingly dominant transactional discourse on employability. Employers want graduates who can deliver immediate results -- those who can use specific tools, follow established processes, and integrate seamlessly into existing organizational structures.
From this perspective, employability becomes a checklist of competencies: learn a tool, master a process, pass a workshop, and become instantly job-ready. Institutions often respond with short courses on communication, software use, or digital skills -- helpful, but often perceived as quick fixes.
These forces -- one long-term and developmental, the other immediate and instrumental -- create a fundamental confusion about what universities are expected to do.
Why the two no longer complement each other
Traditionally, universities have framed the curriculum as a transformational journey. Education is not merely the transfer of knowledge; it is a process through which students learn to think, question, experiment, and grow.
Through exposure to diverse ideas and academic challenges, they learn to navigate ambiguity, generate new insights, and develop a deeper understanding of the world. In a time marked by technological disruptions, socio-economic uncertainties, and global volatility, such adaptive capacities have become more essential than ever.
Yet research now indicates that academic learning and employability have become functionally different pursuits. Academic learning values theoretical knowledge and deep disciplinary engagement.
Contemporary employability, as narrowly defined by employers, emphasizes short-term performance, workplace behaviour, and job-specific productivity. These agendas no longer align as they once did.
Adding to this complexity is a widespread misunderstanding of employability itself. Many assume that embedding “transferable skills” in the curriculum will automatically strengthen job prospects. However, employability is shaped not only by skills but also by social and cultural capital.
A student from an urban, well-connected family may move comfortably through interviews and workplace interactions. A first-generation or rural student with equal academic ability may struggle -- not because of inadequate skills, but because of limited exposure to professional environments. A curriculum focused only on skills may unintentionally widen inequalities instead of correcting them.
Reconciling the tension: A path forward
The challenge for Bangladesh’s universities is not to choose between transformation and transaction, but to reimagine their purpose in ways that meaningfully connect the two. Society needs graduates who can adapt, innovate, and contribute with integrity.
Employers need graduates who can function effectively from the first day. Both expectations are legitimate, and universities must respond to both.
The first step is to reject the false binary between academic learning and employability. These should be treated as interconnected dimensions of the same educational journey. Graduates who are reflective, adaptable, and capable of critical judgment will ultimately be better employees, better innovators, and better citizens.
Building purposeful, integrated curricula
Universities need to redesign curricula with purposeful integration rather than superficial add-ons. This means embedding adaptive learning experiences across disciplines -- through problem-based learning, interdisciplinary projects, undergraduate research, reflective practice, and community engagement. These approaches cultivate the deeper capacities essential for navigating uncertainty.
At the same time, employability support must be broadened beyond generic skill lists. Institutions should develop strong mentorship networks, internships, career counselling, alumni engagement, and sustained industry partnerships. These structures can help first-generation and rural students gain cultural and professional exposure, thereby reducing inequalities.
Reimagining the social purpose of universities
Ultimately, higher education cannot survive as either a purely academic enterprise isolated from society or as a service provider that mechanically responds to employer demands. The future lies in building institutions that are intellectually rigorous, socially responsive, and ethically grounded.
Universities must embrace a dual obligation: First, to nurture thoughtful, reflective individuals, and second, to support their transition into meaningful work. Far from being a limitation, this dual responsibility represents the defining challenge -- and opportunity -- of contemporary higher education.
A call for clarity and courage
Bangladesh stands at a pivotal moment. If universities can redefine their mission with clarity and courage -- embracing both transformation and practical engagement -- they can become powerful engines of national progress.
But this will require a shift in mindset: From viewing education as a product to be “delivered” to recognizing it as a shared partnership among learners, educators, industry, and society.
Only by navigating the tension between the transformational and the transactional can higher education prepare graduates for a world that changes faster than any curriculum can be rewritten.
MM Shahidul Hassan is distinguished Professor, Eastern University, and former Vice Chancellor, East West University, Bangladesh.
