Kathmandu, July 15 - Newly appointed Vice-Chancellors of various universities in Nepal have jointly pledged to free universities from partisan politics and prioritize academic excellence, good governance, and financial discipline.
During a high-level discussion on higher education reform held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar, in the presence of Prime Minister Balendra Shah, the Vice-Chancellors committed to discouraging political activities, including student union politics, within universities. They also pledged to ensure that professors, staff, and students remain focused solely on academic, research, and disciplinary activities.
The meeting also reached a consensus on strengthening administrative, financial, and academic reforms, enhancing financial discipline, settling outstanding audit observations, and promoting transparent university governance.
To improve equitable access to higher education, the Vice-Chancellors committed to ensuring that at least 10 percent of students from meritorious and targeted groups receive scholarships. They also stated that scholarship provisions would be implemented effectively in affiliated private colleges as well.
Furthermore, the universities committed to strictly implementing the National Academic Calendar by conducting admissions, teaching, and examinations on schedule, and publishing examination results within one month of the completion of examinations.
During the discussion, the Vice-Chancellors highlighted several major challenges facing Nepal's universities, including shortages of approved human resources, encroachment on university-owned land worth billions of rupees, inadequate protection and management of university assets, weak coordination among universities, insufficient digital infrastructure, and limited development of research and innovation.
Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Balendra Shah instructed universities to focus on academic reform, financial discipline, good governance, and creating a quality educational environment. He also directed that university convocation ceremonies, which have traditionally been concentrated in Kathmandu, should now be decentralized and organized across all seven provinces in line with the spirit of federalism. In addition, he instructed universities to reduce long-pending audit irregularities, recover and protect encroached university properties, and improve campus cleanliness and management.
Minister for Education and Sports Sasmita Pokharel directed all Vice-Chancellors to submit a clear action plan within the next seven days to improve the quality of higher education. Emphasizing greater coordination and collaboration among universities, the Minister urged them to work collectively as "one team" to strengthen Nepal's higher education system. (Picture: AI Generated)
The meeting was attended by the Vice-Chancellors of Tribhuvan University, Far Western University, Purbanchal University, Pokhara University, Rajarshi Janak University, Mid-West University, and the Agriculture and Forestry University.
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