Nepal is presently at an important juncture of socio-economic transformation aspiring to attain the status of developing country by 2030 with the motto to achieve “Prosperous Nepal and Happy Nepali”. This aspiration is in line with the country’s new constitution 2015 that emphasizes on access of its people to quality and also in line with the global campaign for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs).
UGC is currently implementing Higher Education Policy adopted by the government in 2015. Higher education reform project (HERP 2015-2020), a priority project of the government of Nepal is being implemented with the cooperation of the World Bank to support policy implementation. The reform initiatives include strengthening Educational Management Information System (EMIS), Performance Based Funding (PBF) system, Quality Assurance and Accreditation (QAA) system, poverty targeted student financial support system and examination system of Tribhuvan University. The project supported academic autonomy in higher education and funded development of new academic programs and research activities in the areas of national priorities. Reform and development in higher education in the country need to address many persistent issues and challenges. It needs to ensure (i) access to quality higher education for aspiring youths and (ii) relevance of the higher education to the national development priorities. Higher education with academic excellence based on contemporary research and innovation activities must be given a top priority in the reform process.
The country is passing through a unique demographic situation. At present, the gross enrolment ratio in higher education is about 13% of 18-24years age group compared to the global average of over 30%. The magnitude of the challenge is big because Nepal's demography is characterized by youth bulge where 15-24 years age group constitute 20% of total population according to Population and Housing Census 2011. Likewise, 17% population belongs to 18-26 years age group. The age structure transition shows this historically high proportion in tertiary education age cohort likely to remain high for the next two decades or so. Almost 1500 young people are reported to be leaving the country every day for foreign employment and the proportion moving to cities for various reasons is even larger. In the last few years the number of students obtaining "No Objection Letter" to get higher education has gone up and it accounted for more than 65 thousand last year. Amidst these circumstances, expanding access to individually, societally plus globally relevant and quality higher education is very challenging in the country.
Although the government investment in higher education is increasing over the years in terms of absolute amount, there has been no increment in terms of relative proportions. Country's demographics indicate need for progressive increment in the proportion of investment in higher education.
Ensuring relevance of higher education is yet another important aspect of the access issue. Most of the higher education institutions in the country provide general education. Enrolment of students in general subject area streams constitute about 76%, those in science and technology stream constitute only about 24%. It is to be noted that there is an emerging trend of large proportions of youths going abroad for higher education in search of quality higher education and better employment opportunities. In the last fiscal year, more than 65 thousand youths have obtained "No Objection Letter" to get higher education abroad, significantly large number of students going to India annually for higher studies are not accounted in terms of no objection letter. There is a need to ensure that a higher education provision in the country is helping the youths acquire knowledge and skill competences relevant to the world of job opportunities.
UGC will continue its efforts of improvements in access to science and technology and other job oriented professional higher education and also in the effectiveness of teaching learning and examination practices to ensure beneficial changes. It intends to bring all institutions of higher education under the fold of QAA system and ensure that all institutions accomplish successful self-evaluation and get peer reviewed in the period of coming five years. UGC will also pursuit for academic excellence with research and innovation oriented academic programs in the universities that are focused to national issues and development priorities. It will promote institutional collaborations nationally and internationally in this area.
University Grants Commission has been making efforts to ensure and improve access to quality of higher education in the country with its current mandates and capacity by coordinating with the universities and other higher education institutions in the country. However, as envisaged by the higher education policy framework, UGC should have enhanced role of coordinating the universities in the country. It should also address the existing key issues and challenges comprehensively and should also provide supervision and support to the institutions of higher education in the country. The policy framework also foresee that the expanded system take the responsibilities of outlining curriculum with preparing qualification frameworks, recognition of academic programs and establishing equivalence of higher education degrees, higher education teacher training, eligibility test, and governing teacher recruitment.
UGC expects high level of cooperation and collaboration from all the stakeholders in the country in its endeavor of achieving relevant and credible quality higher education that contributes to overall national prosperity and help build knowledge based society in a framework of life-long learning.
Prof. Dr. Bhim Prasad Subedi
Chairman,
University Grants Commission
2075 Magh 3.
