Why is DU’s executive MBA so expensive this time?

The University of Dhaka’s Faculty of Business Studies is reopening its much popular ‘Executive MBA Programme’, formerly known as Evening MBA, after two years of suspension.

Faculty members said this time the tuition fee would be much higher than the previous programme and exceed expenses for such programmes offered by some private universities.

Previously, each MBA (Evening) student of Dhaka University had to pay Tk 5,000 as a semester enrolment fee, Tk 10,000 as development fee, Tk 10,000 as registration fee and Tk 3,500 for each credit hour. Depending on the waiver on fees and course duration, the total cost for completing MBA used to vary from Tk 1.90 lakh to Tk 2.95 lakh. 

Now, a student will have to pay a semester enrolment fee of Tk 7,500, registration fee of Tk 12,000 (once only), and Tk 5,000 for each credit hour. Depending on the waiver on fees and course duration, the total cost for getting an Executive MBA done, a pupil will have to pay Tk 3.50 lakh to Tk 4 lakh, respectively.

The expenses of the Executive MBA programme increases at a time when private universities are offering the same course at much less amount of money. To cite an example, the University of Liberal Arts and Daffodil International University charge approximately Tk 250,000 for such academic degrees.

These high costs made many students puzzled as they see Dhaka University has the entire infrastructure ready for conducting such courses.

As the Business Insider approached the dean of FBS, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Abdul Moyeen about the high expenses, he said “The Faculty of Business Studies of Dhaka University offers one of the finest executive programmes in the country. The Programme, however, will be run on a subsidised and cost-sharing basis.

He added that the expenses of the programme are a reflection of the quality education and services that we provide.”

Dr. Moyeen further said that management policies have been changed and a generalised ‘Master’ or ‘Executive’ policy has been formulated for the new programme. The ensuing programme will require six months to complete a semester instead of previously set four-month semester.

According to the dean’s office, the distribution of the programme budget is as follows: the university overhead: 30%, the Central Students Scholarship fund:10%, Dean’s office Overhead: 5%, department development: 5%, and department research overhead: 5%, respectively. The other 45% will cover the programme expenses including remunerations for the faculty members.

The programme will be conducted by 9 departments of the FBS where admission procedures for almost 500 students are underway. The admission test for the new programme had taken place on July 22nd, following suspension on November 20th of 2020. After the viva voce and admission procedure are done, the new Executive classes will begin shortly.

Although previously some 40 departments of varsity were conducting the evening courses, the new executive course will be conducted by 9 departments. These faculties are: Management, Accounting & Information Systems, Marketing, Finance, Banking and Insurance, Management Information Systems, Service Management, Tourism, International Business, and Strategy and Leadership, respectively.

The number of seats in each specialty area of Management, Accounting & Information Systems, Marketing, and Finance is limited to 75.

For Banking and Insurance, Management Information Systems, and Service Management and Tourism it is 50, and Strategy and Leadership 40, respectively.

The highest policy-making forum, syndicate of the University of Dhaka approved the reopening of the ‘Professional and Executive Masters’ Programme’ (evening course) on the 27th of March this year in light of the new policy.

However, each department is allowed to introduce only one such course.

In a meeting of the Academic Council of Dhaka University held on February 25, 2020, all activities of admission of new students to all irregular courses including the evening courses were shut. At the same time, a committee was also formed on that day to formulate timely instructions for conducting the evening course.

Due to the pandemic, the activities of that committee were shelved for a long time. Finally, on March 21, the academic council of the university approved a set of rules prepared by that committee. It was approved later in the syndicate with some minor amendments.

According to FBS of DU, The new executive MBA programme has been designed in view of the growing demand for developing necessary knowledge and skills for the executives. According to FBS, DU website, The programme focuses on learning appropriate analytical tools and techniques for effective and efficient decision-making in managing organisations in a changing global scenario.

Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman told Business Insider Bangladesh, “To bring this course under control, newer rules and regulations have been formulated. As these new regulations were formed, the syndicate permitted FBS to run the programme.”

The evening courses at the University of Dhaka came under the limelight after President Abdul Hamid highlighted the business endeavours of these courses. On December 9, 2019, while addressing the 52nd convocation of Dhaka University, President Hamid said a section of teachers had turned varsities into business institutions, disrupting their overall academic environment. UGC later ordered all universities to close the evening programme.