DU move to merge eight departments into three draws faculty objections
Teachers say the affected disciplines have distinct academic identities and accuse the university of moving ahead without prior consultation, as deans seek recommendations on the proposal.
Highlights:
- Proposal seeks to merge eight departments into three
- Teachers cite distinct academic identities, lack of consultation
- Deans asked to submit recommendations after consulting departments
A proposal to merge eight academic departments at Dhaka University into three draws objections from teachers who say the disciplines have distinct academic identities and that they were not consulted before the plan was tabled.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The proposal from the DU administration was discussed at the Deans' Committee meeting on 22 June. According to the meeting minutes, the deans of the relevant faculties have been asked to consult department chairpersons and submit recommendations.
The proposal was made to merge the Faculty of Social Sciences' Departments of Mass Communication and Journalism, Television, Film and Photography, and Printing and Publication Studies into a single department.
The DU authorities also proposed combining the Faculty of Arts' Departments of Theatre and Performance Studies, Music, and Dance into one department, while merging the Departments of Sanskrit and Pali and Buddhist Studies into another. The departments were previously part of the same academic structure.
The academic committees of the Departments of Television, Film and Photography and Printing and Publication Studies are scheduled to meet today to finalise their positions.
Several teachers from the affected departments told TBS they oppose the proposal and were not consulted before it reached the Deans' Committee.
A teacher from the Department of Television, Film and Photography, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the department unanimously opposed the plan.
"If there are concerns about market demand, the university could reduce student intake. But there is no justification for merging departments. Our curricula, syllabuses and academic objectives are entirely different," the teacher said.
Tanvir Nahid Khan, assistant professor of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, said the proposal contradicted ongoing discussions on introducing separate admission tests for the departments of Theatre and Performance Studies, Music and Dance. "Our disciplines, syllabuses and curricula are distinct," he said.
Professor Mohammad Mojibur Rahman of the Institute of Education and Research said universities could merge or close departments in response to changing academic and labour market demands, but only through a transparent, evidence-based process.
"The university should form an expert committee comprising professors from different disciplines and, if necessary, international experts to conduct needs and labour market assessments before making any decision," he said.
He cautioned against rushing such a decision, saying it could raise questions about why only selected departments were chosen for merger while others were left out.
