DHAKA, Oct 12: The first meeting of the heads of university grants commissions or equivalent bodies of the Saarc countries ended here on Sunday by emphasising that the medium of instruction at the higher-level of education should be English to facilitate mutual recognition of degrees.

Bangladeshi State Minister for Education A. N. M. Ehsanul Hoque formally inaugurated the meeting on Saturday. The second meeting of the heads of university grants commissions or equivalent bodies will be held in Islamabad before June, 2004.

The two-day meeting also made some recommendations to improve the quality of education in the region. The recommendations will be sent to the Saarc Secretariat for discussion.

Participants recommended that the minimum period of acquiring a Bachelor’s degree (excluding professional degrees) should be 15 years in the Saarc member states and suggested an introduction of Saarc in the curricula at the secondary-level social science subjects.

They also recommended that the degrees awarded by the chartered universities of the Saarc member states should be recognized by all the member countries on the basis of number of years studied, grades and credits obtained, and effective implementation of the Saarc chairs, fellowships and scholarships.

The ministry of education and the University Grants Commission (UGC) have jointly organized the meeting, which began on Saturday at a city hotel.

Presided over by UGC chairman of Bangladesh M. Asaduzzaman, the meeting was also addressed by Professor Mahfuzul Haque, member UGC, Bangladesh. M. Rafiqul Islam, additional secretary of the ministry of education, gave the address of welcome. The message from the secretary-general of Saarc, Q. A. M. A. Rahim, was also read out on the occasion.