Bhairahawa: The Lumbini Buddha University has initiated a publicity campaign and interaction in the local level to begin its classes and manage necessary infrastructure.

The university officials have urged locals to help admit students and provide land to construct a hostel and a research centre. The varsity plans to conduct a post-graduate programme in Buddhism from the next session. Vice-chancellor of the university, Triratna Manandhar, said construction of buildings for administration and regular classes is currently under way on around two hectares of land provided by the government. “The curriculum has been set for the university but the main problem is to construct a hostel and a research center,” he said.

Manandhar has asked for land at Masina VDC, five kilometers east of Lumbini, which was originally allocated for the rehabilitation of victims of the Maoist insurgency. Around six hectares of land, along with huts worth millions of rupees, is lying unused. Two years ago, an Armed Police Force camp was established on the land. The First World Buddhist Summit in 1998 had proposed establishing a Buddhist university. Sri Lanka and Thailand had pledged to provide aid whereas the Nepal government declared the educational institution in 2004. However, the university sign board is kept on the premises of the Bhairahawa Lumbini Underground Water Project while the vice-chancellor, registrar and staff work at a Kathmandu-based office. Locals said the university is losing public faith due to the fact that office bearers work from Kathmandu instead of Lumbini.

“We have been facing a financial crisis ever since the university’s establishment as existing regulations state that the university should run through public resources,” said Pitambar Lal Yadav, registrar at the university. The university has provided affiliation to five educational institutions in Kathmandu. Ghan Shyam Parishrami, chief of the Bhairahawa Multiple Campus, said it’s time for the university to start classes on its own after establishing an office in Lumbini.

source: The Kathmandu Post,24 Feb 2013