The illusion of academic efficiency and the persistent woes of trimesters
As students step into the Spring 2025 semester, the shadows of the tumultuous Fall 2024 term linger. In a mere 70 days, students were expected to grasp their course material, sit for midterms, and then brace themselves for finals barely a month later. The rushed semester raised an essential question: Do students genuinely learn anything in such a truncated academic cycle? Private universities, operating on a 3.5 to 4-month semester system, are already streamlined in their curriculum. When further cuts are made, essential topics are often sacrificed, diminishing the value of the education provided.
A final-year Computer Science and Engineering student, Tithi Huq, expressed her concerns, “Even though many of the experienced faculties were lenient and helpful throughout the semester, the newly appointed ones made tough questions and were rarely considerate towards marking and teaching.” This raises concerns about whether Brac University’s academic planning is done with students’ learning in mind or merely to complete administrative checklists.
The structural issues within the university’s academic planning became evident after the July Revolution when the education system reached a standstill for nearly 1.5 months. While universities like Independent University Bangladesh (IUB), operating under a trimester system, successfully provided a full-length Fall semester without overwhelming their students, BracU opted for an expedited semester that left students scrambling under immense academic pressure.
Rehman Alam (Senior, EEE) said, “The short semester has seriously hampered learning, be it for employment or expanding our horizons. It massively degrades the quality of education it promises to deliver. So, how is the university inspiring excellence?”
Adding to the chaos, the university’s advising process—an already notorious system—only exacerbated student distress. BracU introduced Connect, a new advising portal aimed at resolving the longstanding issues of USIS. However, Connect proved to be equally flawed. Technical failures plagued the system, causing crashes and freezing, particularly during high-traffic advising periods. The disconnection between the university administration and its technical teams is the more significant issue. Without strategic planning and proper resource allocation, students continue to suffer. The advising process, crucial for shaping students’ academic journeys, is often reduced to a repetitive administrative task rather than an essential component of student success.
The system seems theoretically efficient, with students graduating quickly and avoiding session jams. But in reality, who considers the mental and academic toll it takes? From struggling to get into desired courses during advising to barely engaging with comprehensive course content, students are left questioning the purpose of it all. Is the university prioritizing its students’ education and well-being, or is it solely focused on maintaining high rankings and maximizing student intake?
**All names have been changed upon request
