SARCHE-2026 CONCLUDED WITH DHAKA DECLARATION
Republic of Maldive will host next Conf.
The Dhaka Declaration on Higher Education, adopted on 15 January 2026 at the South Asian Regional Conference on the State of Higher Education and Future Pathway (SARCHE-2026) in Dhaka, reaffirms the collective commitment of South Asian stakeholders to strengthening higher education as a public good and a strategic national investment.
Dhaka Declaration-
The Declaration recognizes higher education as a key driver of democratic values, human development, social inclusion, innovation, economic resilience, peace, and regional cooperation, and underscores its critical role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It acknowledges common regional challenges such as governance and quality gaps, limited research capacity, employability mismatches, digital divides, AI-related risks to cultural heritage, gender and inclusion disparities, and growing climate and sustainability concerns
To address these issues, the Declaration outlines eight strategic commitments:
1. Governance, Quality, and Accountability – Promoting institutional autonomy, transparency, outcome-based education, and robust quality assurance through regional peer learning.
2. Equity, Inclusion, and Social Responsibility – Ensuring affordable and inclusive access for women, marginalized groups, and underserved regions, alongside stronger community engagement.
3. Research, Innovation, and Knowledge Ecosystems – Enhancing research capacity, doctoral education, multidisciplinary collaboration, and industry–academia partnerships.
4. Graduate Employability and Industry Engagement – Aligning curricula with labor market needs, expanding internships, entrepreneurship, and work-integrated learning.
5. Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence – Advancing ethical and inclusive use of digital technologies and AI, building regional cyber sovereignty, and bridging the digital divide.
6. Sustainability and Climate Action – Integrating climate action into teaching, research, and campus operations, and fostering regional collaboration on sustainability research.
7. Regional Cooperation and Mobility – Strengthening student and faculty mobility, joint programs, mutual recognition of qualifications, and using SARCHE as a sustained cooperation platform.
8. Stakeholder Engagement and Public Trust – Engaging civil society, industry, media, and development partners to enhance transparency, integrity, and public confidence in higher education.
In its closing affirmation, the Declaration commits South Asian countries to building a resilient, inclusive, innovative, and globally connected higher education system, emphasizing that sustained transformation will require political will, strong institutional leadership, effective regional cooperation, and collective action among all stakeholders.