The Conference on ‘higher education policy in Nepal successfully concluded

The Conference on ‘Higher education policy in Nepal’ successfully concluded on 11th February 2011 in Kathmandu.

The two-days conference was inaugurated by Honourable Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly Mr. Subashchandra Nemwang. In the inaugural speech, Honourable Nemwang emphasized the need for a coherent and effective policy to govern the higher education (HE) in the country. Honourable Nemwang also wished for the success of the conference and hoped that conference will come up with concrete suggestions for higher education policy in the country.

The conference jointly organized by the Ministry of Education (MoE), National Planning Commission (NPC), University Grants Commission (UGC) and UNESCO, highlighted the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders governing and regulating HE. The conference highlighted the need for expansion of access ensuring equality; need for ensuring quality and relevance in terms of national and socio-economic development and in the context of global trends of HE development; ways and means of financing HE and need for comprehensive system of quality assurance and accreditation.  The conference brought together national and international experts in the field of HE. Five different papers were presented in the conference: i) Financing HE by Prof. Jandhyala Tilak, NUEPA, India. ii) Quality Assurance and Qualification Recognition by David Woodhouse, Executive Director, Australian University Quality Agency. iii) University Governance and Management by Dr. N.V. Varghese, UNESCO IIEP, Paris. iv) World Bank Presentation on access and equity by Ms Leoni Siok Yoong Lee, Education Specialist, World Bank, and  v) Country presentation on UGC by Dr. Sultan Mahmud Bhuiya, UGC, Bangladesh. Two Former Finance Ministers Dr. Baburam Bhattarai & Dr. Ramsharan Mahat and Former Education Minister Prof. Dr. Mangalsiddi Manandhar  chaired three different sessions of the conference. Similarly, Dr. Kamal Krishna Joshi, Former Chairman, UGC; and Prof. Dr. Ramavtar Yadav, Vice Chancellor, Purbanchal University, chaired the other two different sessions. The paper presenters as well as the commentators stressed on the need of sound and consistent policy with expression on reform HE particularly focusing on quality, access and equity in HE.

In the Closing Ceremony, the Country Director of UNESCO, World Bank Representative of the Nepal, Joint-secretary of MoE, Mr. Masharam Sharam, Member of NPC, Dr. Thirtha Khaniya, and Member of UGC Prof. Shantidevi Sharma delivered their closing remarks.  Dr. Khaniya stressed on the need for the strengthening UGC to govern effectively.  Joint- secretary Mr. Sharma stated that this conference helped to start the process of delivering effective HE policy and expressed that recommendations from the conference will be taken as valuable inputs to start the process of policy development.

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