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Impact of Certificate Program on Overseas Students' Soft Skills Development: Bangladesh Open University Perspective
Abstract
Bangladesh Open University (BOU) is the sole public university of Bangladesh that operates their education through open and distance learning (ODL). In 2021, BOU started its offshore certificate programmes i.e., SSC and HSC (2 years programme) for Non-Resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) in South Korea, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Qatar in order to improve the soft skills of the overseas students. The aim of this study is to find out the impact of BOU’s certificate programmes on overseas students’ soft skills development. Mixed methods research design has been used while conducting the study. The survey questionnaire has been used for quantitative purposes, while in-depth interviews have been used for qualitative purposes. In survey questionnaire, 100 overseas students who enrolled in the certificate programme of BOU participated according to simple random sampling, while 5 overseas students have been selected for in-depth interviews according to convenience sampling. The study reveals that overseas students’ soft skills e.g., problem-solving, communication, critical thinking, leadership, teamwork, adaptability, and time management skills, have been improved significantly due to the enrolment of BOU’s certificate programmes. BOU’s certificate programme helps Non-Resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) to become skilled labour from semi-skilled labour. Being a full-time employee it is very difficult for the NRBs to continue their education, although BOU provides utmost flexibility in their learning process.
PCF11 Sub-Theme: Skills Development Through Lifelong Open Education
Paper ID: 9959
Subject
Country
Bangladesh
Region
Asia
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Date
2025-09
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Publisher
Commonwealth of Learning (COL)