KATHMANDU: Kathmandu University (KU) and Australia’s Crown Institute of Higher Education have entered into an agreement to begin dual degrees under Bachelor’s Degree programs in various disciplines beginning with the 2023-24 academic year.
The two institutions also agreed on conducting joint research, exchange of faculty, students, and staff, and exchange of materials, publications, and information, among other academic activities.
As part of the dual degree program, students spend two years in Nepal and two more years in Australia. After completing the program, the graduates receive degrees from both universities.
Speaking at the MoU signing program on Tuesday, representatives from the twin institutions shared their visions for the dual degree programs aimed at strengthening the academic relationship between the two countries.
The agreement was signed in the presence of KU Vice-Chancellor Professor Bhola Thapa and Australian Ambassador to Nepal Felicity Volk.
On the occasion, the ambassador said the educational exchange was the bedrock of the Australia-Nepal relationship. “There have, however, been concerns about a misbalance in the relationship, as it is often a one-way traffic,” Volk said.
“The loss of a generation of youth, including students, to overseas locations is one of the greatest challenges Nepal faces. As part of its response to this challenge, it’s imperative that the government of Nepal develop viable policies and practices to support quality education in Nepal and to facilitate international students to enroll in study programs here,” Volk added.
Volk highlighted the need for Nepal to introduce a higher education policy suited to the twenty-first century.
KU Vice-Chancellor Professor Bhola Thapa said the signing of the agreement was a step towards the making of a university in the truest sense. Thapa added the agreement was part of KU’s initiative to partner with the best global educational institutes to offer high-quality education.
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