Internet as a Tool for Higher Education and Research in Agricultural Sciences

Abstract

A study was conducted to explore the role of internet on higher education and research at two selected public universities in Bangladesh, which offer courses on Agricultural Sciences. Teachers and post-graduate students were interviewed based on questionnaires. It was found that 90.8% teachers have the internet connectivity and they use internet on regular basis to search relevant websites and download the selected course contents. Hundred percent teachers do agree that adequate and reliable information on different topics of Agricultural Sciences can be obtained through internet, which can be used for academic and research purposes. Using internet by the students is gradually increasing in public universities. The universities are expanding the internet facilities to increase services to the teaching and learning communities. Digitization of libraries and internet links between the public universities libraries are in progress. It is expected that the use of internet would bring significant changes in higher education and research systems of developing nations and the institutions of higher education would attain a global standard. Development of education in these countries are badly influenced by limited resource and poor finance. UNESCO, in collaboration with international donor agencies, can play a vital role in developing nations’ endeavors to gear up higher education and research to a recommended level.