Principle Investigator: Dr. Md. Anwarul Islam , Professor , Department of Information Science and Library Management
Co-Investigator: Dr. Wasimul Bari
Duration: 1 Year (2023-2024)
Amount: 455000 BDT.
Funding Authority: University Grants Commission of Bangladesh
Dr. Md. Anwarul Islam, Professor in the Department of Information Science and Library Management, has been awarded a research grant of 455,000 BDT from the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh for the 2023-2024 project titled "Information-Seeking Behaviors of Graduates for Studying Abroad: An Empirical Investigation on the Students of the University of Dhaka." Serving as the Principal Investigator, Dr. Islam is working in collaboration with Dr. Wasimul Bari from the Department of Statistics, University of Dhaka. Together, they aim to explore the information-seeking practices and challenges faced by students aspiring to study abroad, providing insights that may enhance support systems for prospective international students.
The objectives of this project are to investigate how students gather information about studying abroad, specifically focusing on where they find details on admissions, scholarships, and entry requirements (e.g., IELTS, GRE) for top-ranked universities, as well as the barriers they encounter and how they navigate these challenges. The study will explore students' use of both formal sources (such as university websites, professors' pages, departmental websites, and information portals) and informal sources (such as Google, blogs, friends, peers, and alumni), noting that students often initially rely on informal sources. To focus on opportunities for higher education abroad, this research will target graduate students at the University of Dhaka. Sampling theory will be applied to ensure accurate representation of this population. A mixed-method approach will be used, starting with a survey questionnaire to gather quantitative data.
The collected data will undergo cleaning, coding, and analysis using relevant software. Multiple hypotheses will be formulated to examine cause-and-effect relationships among different student groups in their pursuit of international study opportunities. The study will conclude with recommendations aimed at addressing information-seeking challenges faced by graduates aspiring to study abroad.