As it organized the tenth convocation ceremony for its graduate students this week, Kathmandu University, popularly known as KU– a pioneer academic institution set up by the private sector– has set up a benchmark for quality education in the country.
A total of 721 students took part in the convocation ceremony Friday after completing bachelors and masters degree in 18 different disciplines.
Archana Pokhrel had stolen the limelight last year by bagging ‘The Chancellor Medal’ for securing the highest marks among all disciplines of post-graduate courses. After studying for eight years at the KU, she completed Masters in Pharmacy and now teaches Pharmacology at the Kathmandu University Medical School (KUMS). Once you graduate from this University, you can work easily in any country of the world,’ said Pokhrel.
By 2004, nearly 3,000 students have graduated from the KU out of which 1,400 have studied in its own campuses while nearly 1,600 have graduated from campuses affiliated to the KU.
It took years long efforts and dedication for a small but committed group of individuals to turn the Kathmandu Valley Campus into a full-fledged university. KU was established formally on 11 December 1991, by an act of parliament.
Dr Suresh Raj Sharma continues to lead the University as its vice chancellor right from its inception.
KU is the first university to introduce four-year-long graduate courses in the country. Now, it runs classes in as diverse areas as pharmacy, environmental science, biotechnology, computer engineering, electrical and electronics engineering and mechanical engineering.
The University is also running Ph. D. programmes in Mathematics, Education and Soil Science streams.
Vice chancellor, Dr Sharma says that thousands of graduates in medical sciences and engineering are being produced within the country now, there still is need for (the system of) education that is meaningful and will help start a career.
The KU now has six different Schools under it. In July 1992, School of Science was opened with Dr Bhadra Man Tuladhar as its Dean. The School of Management was started a year later with Prof. K. Swaminathan as its Dean. The University also launched MBA classes and later started the School of Education and the School of Arts.
The School of Engineering was launched at the new university campus in Dhulikhel In December 1994, KU granted provisional affiliation to Manipal college of medical sciences, Pokhara. In August 1996, College of medical sciences, Bharatpur and St. Xavier’s college, Kathmandu were granted provisional affiliation to run MBBS program and BSW program respectively.
In September 1997, graduates program in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Statistics were launched.
Adds Dr Sitaram Adhikary, Registrar of the KU, “Our aim is to produce capable manpower in the areas of science, technology and management who could contribute to the country’s development.”
According to KU, out of 286 students who graduated from the University last year, 78 percent have already got employment while 14 percent are pursuing higher studies. Rest 8 percent is continuing to create opportunities in their areas of discipline, the University said.
“By providing quality education, KU has enhanced prestige of this region,” said Bel Prasad Shrestha, former Mayor of Dhulikhel municipality, whose commitment as a leader of local community remains unparalleled for the development of the university.
HMG/Nepal, municipalities of Dhulikhel, Banepa and Panauti, industrialists Rana Bahadur Shah and Mohan Gopal Khetan, Mercantile Group of companies and local people are prominent among the Nepali donors.
Similarly, United Mission to Nepal, UNDP, NORAD, Indian embassy, Royal Danish embassy, GTZ, SDC, Swiss, Austrian and Japanese individuals and foundations are prominent among the foreign donors to the University.
Analysts say now the challenge to the 13-year-old university is to maintain and enhance quality of its education while making it affordable to as many Nepali students as possible.