KATHMANDU: Prof. Dr. Bibek Baral has been appointed vice-chancellor of Kathmandu University. Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who also serves as the university’s chancellor, appointed Baral to the post on Friday.
A selection committee led by Education and Sports Minister Sasmit Pokharel had recommended three candidates for the position. The other recommended candidates were Prof. Dr. Balchandra Luitel and Prof. Dr. Rajendra Joshi.
Baral is a professor in Kathmandu University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. He was also a student of the university’s second batch of engineering students, becoming the first KU alumnus to be appointed vice-chancellor.
He holds a master’s degree from the University of Tokyo, Japan, and a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Baral has been teaching at Kathmandu University for more than 27 years. After returning to Nepal from New Zealand, he joined KU as a lecturer in 1999 and was promoted to professor in 2018.
He previously served as president of the KU Professors’ Association, where he played an active role in advocating for academic rights and faculty issues.
His research has focused on temperature management, energy consumption, and indoor thermal comfort in traditional and modern houses in Dhulikhel and Biratnagar.
He is also involved in research on battery cooling and nanofluids, including thermal management systems designed to improve the efficiency of electric vehicles and protect batteries from overheating.
Baral had faced allegations related to the non-disbursement of certain undeclared funds during construction projects involving the university and Dhulikhel Hospital through KU-Consultant. The issue reportedly delayed the vice-chancellor appointment process. The Ministry of Education has said that an investigation into the allegations is ongoing.
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