Two-Day Higher Education Policy Workshop Concludes in Nepal

Two-Day Policy Workshop Concludes with Focus on Higher Education Reform and Transparent Faculty Recruitment

A two-day policy workshop concluded on Saturday with the conclusion that, alongside policy and legal reforms to improve the quality of higher education, university faculty recruitment, development and promotion systems should be made transparent, inclusive and results-oriented.

Organized by the Ministry of Education and Sports, the workshop was held at the Ministry in Singha Durbar under the theme “University Faculty Recruitment, Development and Promotion: Mission Alignment, Incentives and Impact.” Participants included representatives of the National Planning Commission, the University Grants Commission (UGC), vice-chancellors of various universities, education experts, researchers and policy experts. Professor Shyam Sharma of Stony Brook University in the United States served as the main facilitator of the workshop.

Emphasis on Transparent Appointments and Technology-Friendly Management

Concluding the first session of the workshop, Minister for Education and Sports Sasmit Pokharel said that universities need to exchange good practices with one another.

He emphasized that the appointment process for teachers and staff should be transparent, fair and based on uniform standards. He also stated that a student-friendly academic environment should be developed and that university operations and management should be made more technology-friendly.

Similarly, concluding the second session, Shailendra Jha, Chief Adviser to the Education Minister, said the policy workshop was important for higher education reform. He expressed confidence that the workshop would help reduce the gap between universities and the Ministry while promoting consistency in policymaking and improvements in academic quality.

Implementation of National Strategy and Academic Calendar

National Planning Commission member Reshu Aryal Dhungana said that university officials and policymakers should come together to formulate a national strategy for higher education reform and create an environment that encourages young people to remain in the country.

Another Commission member, Prof. Dr. Sudan Jha, emphasized the effective implementation of the academic calendar alongside improvements in academic quality.

Likewise, University Grants Commission Chair Prof. Dr. Khadga Bahadur KC, Tribhuvan University Service Commission Chair Kishor Thapa, and Ministry of Education Joint Secretary Shriprasad Bhattarai said that stronger policy measures are necessary to make universities transparent, research-oriented and globally competitive.