LBEF launches two postgraduate courses, MBA in AI and Digital Leadership
KATHMANDU: Lord Buddha Education Foundation (LBEF), Nepal’s first IT college, has launched two postgraduate courses — an 'MBA in AI' and 'Digital Leadership' — to meet market demand amid rapid growth in artificial intelligence (AI) and information technology (IT).
The programmes are offered in affiliation with the Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation and have official approval from the Ministry of Education, with recognition of equivalence by Tribhuvan University (TU). LBEF has partnered with DLA Consulting to deliver the courses.
Speaking at the launch event in Maitidevi, Er Pankaj Jalan, Chairman of the Foundation, said AI has become essential across banking, business, management, data analysis, report generation and daily office operations. “Tasks that used to take humans hours just a few years ago are now being done by AI in a few minutes,” he said. “Along with this shift, the curriculum in Nepal is being developed by integrating AI with education, business and management, rather than treating it merely as a tool-operating technology.”
Jalan said the objective of the programme is not limited to imparting technical knowledge for developing AI software or tools, but extends to teaching students how to apply existing AI tools in practical business situations and real-life scenarios.
At the event, Prakash Kejriwal, Executive Director of the Foundation, presented a working paper on the ongoing development of information technology and on the current state and future of AI.
As part of the initiative, LBEF is preparing to establish a physical AI server lab and is importing dedicated AI servers into Nepal from abroad. The foundation said the lab is intended to provide a practical base for AI education rather than functioning as a simple hardware facility.
The physical lab will give students opportunities for direct hands-on practice at low cost, allowing them to conduct experiments and tests on an in-house server instead of relying solely on books or videos. Students will also gain access to 11 international online labs, research papers, academic journals and books.
Suman Neupane, Founder Chairman of DLA Consulting, said artificial intelligence has become an integral part of every organisation’s strategic decision-making process and noted that information technology is now a central component of Nepal’s economic development. “By bringing an international-level curriculum on AI to Kathmandu, we are not merely adding another academic degree, but rather preparing a new foundation to build Nepal’s future business leadership,” he said.
