Meeting the Industry Demand: The Challenges of Journalism Education in Bangladesh

In recent years, the media industry in Bangladesh has undergone significant transformation, influenced by rapid technological advancements, digital media integration, and shifting audience expectations. These changes have created a complex landscape where journalists are required to adapt to new platforms, tools, and production processes. As of January 2025, Bangladesh has 55 public universities and 114 private universities. Among these universities, only 9 public and 15 private institutions offer journalism education.However, despite the growing demands of industry, journalism education in the country has struggled to keep pace with these developments. There is an increasing concern that the skills and knowledge imparted through academic programs may no longer align with the practical needs of the media sector, leaving graduates inadequately prepared for the challenges of modern journalism. The changing landscape of the news media industry has rendered university-level journalism programs inadequate in meeting its professional requirements. The number of journalism graduates coming out of universities is much higher compared to the scope of suitable work opportunities for them. The current study aimed to investigate the local media industries’ demands which are challenging the journalism education of Bangladesh. The current study explored to identify the gap between the content taught in university-level journalism programs and the requirements needed for professional excellence in the industry. In-depth interviews and case studies were employed as qualitative methods in this study. The study found that journalism courses were confined to theoretical and textbook-based knowledge sharing where practical and fieldwork facilities are needed in the departments. Lack of ample funding has also been a persistent issue for public universities of Bangladesh for initiating hands-on experience facilities. However, this study also revealed that there is hardly any partnership between the department and the media industry which can create scope to explore the job market for the students.