University should focus on research, innovation: PM Dahal

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said university education must focus on research and innovation.

Addressing the 28th convocation ceremony (2nd phase) of the Kathmandu University at Dhulikhel, Kavrepalanchowk, on Sunday, PM Dahal suggested that master's programme could stress research and innovation while graduate's on practical and learning. "It is high time all universities and higher educational institutes changed their style of teaching-learning," he underscored, arguing that research must contribute to social change.

PM Dahal informed that government had decided to conduct research via universities which would give opportunity to the university teachers to contribute to the State. In its 32 years of operation, Kathmandu University (KU) has produced more than 41,000 human resources. They are ordained with higher skills, competence and human values, PM Dahal believed and hoped they had played vital role on national development.

He commended the KU for preventing brain drain of students, thereby stopping the Nepali currency from going out- provided education at par on international standard.

 "The government has acknowledged KU's proposal to provide initial employment to the talented graduates of Bachelors Level. The government will support its expansion and sustainability," the PM pledged.

Stating that steep increase in trade deficit in the past had hit hard the country financially, he viewed that increasing service trade deficit at the same pace in recent times was a cause for concern.

According to him, the government had paid special attention toward the prospects of making Nepal an educational hub for higher studies in engineering, medical studies, information and technology and environment science among others.

On a different note, PM Dahal informed that the commerce policy being drafted at present had identified education service as an area of having potential of being exportable.

He articulated the readiness of the incumbent government for legal, procedural and structural arrangements to turn possibility into reality. Towards this, the Head of the government emphasized experts' suggestions. "As I am told that 13 per cent of graduates of the KU were foreign nationals from over 55 countries, it shows that the possibility of Nepal becoming an attractive educational hub in the South Asia is not only a fantasy but an objective reality that could be materialized," Dahal said.

He opined that the research being conducted by the KU in the areas of production of green hydrogen, artificial intelligence, agriculture based on modern technology, studies of glaciology and health-informatics and publication of findings would contribute to the formation of social capital, which ultimately fosters economic growth of the country.

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