Glocal’s 'Study in Nepal Forum 2026' tackles graduate employability gap

KATHMANDU: The Study in Nepal & Transnational Education (TNE) Forum 2026, organised by Glocal, concluded in Lalitpur on Tuesday. Participants urged concrete steps to close the gap between higher education and the job market and to raise Nepal’s appeal as a regional study destination.

The day-long forum brought together international diplomats, university leaders, business executives and policymakers to discuss improving higher education quality, streamlining accreditation and credit recognition, and aligning curricula with employer expectations. Organisers said the event aimed to shift Nepal from being primarily a source of outbound students to becoming a competitive choice for learners from neighbouring countries and beyond.

Ashley Mok of Times Higher Education opened the programme with a presentation on global education trends and Nepal’s role in South Asia. Senior figures from Kathmandu University, including Vice Chancellor Rishikesh Wagle and economics professor Achyut Prasad Wagle, also addressed the audience.

Parshu Ram Tiwari, under secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, spoke on transnational education and the support the government has provided to develop the sector.

A panel on turning Nepal into a regional education hub was chaired by Asish Thakur, chairman of Glocal. Panellists included Rob Fenn, British ambassador to Nepal; Greg Klemm, deputy head of mission at the Australian Embassy; Shailaja Adhikary, CEO and MD of IEC College; and Mahanand Chalise, registrar of Tribhuvan University. The discussion highlighted the need for collaborative ecosystems, streamlined regulatory frameworks, transparent credit transfer systems and robust quality assurance aligned with international standards to attract foreign students.

Student voices were included in the programme. Two students — Xudong Shi of Kathmandu University School of Education and Sabrina Thapa, an MBA student at Embark College — shared their perspectives on what learners need from higher education.

An afternoon session on education quality and employment, moderated by ND Lama, principal of Dynamic Public School, focused on matching college programmes with workplace requirements. Panellists included Jaco du Toit, UNESCO representative to Nepal; Birendra Raj Pandey, president of Confederation of Nepalese Industries; Manoj Gyawali, CEO of Nabil Bank; and Roshee Lamichhane, officiating dean of Kathmandu University School of Management. Panellists urged institutions to emphasise knowledge, attitudes, skills and habits so graduates are better prepared for industry demands, and to redesign curricula to develop practical capabilities and workplace mindsets.

Opening the forum, Asish Thakur said the gathering was a strategic national conversation about Nepal’s economic and academic future. He warned that the current outflow of students causes financial and talent losses and urged investment in the domestic higher education ecosystem.

"A nation does not become a knowledge economy by chance. It becomes one through vision, systems, collaboration, and consistency. We must have the courage to believe that Nepal can contribute to the world not only through labour and tourism, but also through knowledge, research, innovation, and education," Thakur said. He noted that Nepal’s transnational education sector already includes roughly 56 providers serving more than 34,000 students and contributes significant tax and regulatory revenue.

In her closing remarks, Kajol Jha, managing director of Glocal, announced the formation of a Joint Leadership Committee to carry forward the forum’s recommendations. "This committee does not exist as a footnote, but as this gathering's lasting outcome. Its mandate is clear: to ensure the candid conversations held here today regarding streamlined accreditation, transparent credit recognition, and regulatory stability are directly implemented as national policies that matter," Jha said. She pledged to return next year with measurable outcomes and deeper partnerships to make "Study in Nepal" a sustained national direction rather than a slogan.

The forum was held in partnership with Kathmandu University and Embark College as academic partners; Times Higher Education as knowledge partner; UNESCO as supporting knowledge partner; the CNI as industry partner; IEPAN as association partner; and media partners The Kathmandu Post and Kantipur Media Group. Hem Raj Kafle, director of academic excellence at Kathmandu University, provided closing reflections.