Kirtipur: Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, who is the chancellor of the Tribhuvan University (TU), today said national development is impossible without adequate human resources in the education sector.

The educational standard of Nepali universities can be improved by working in close coordination with the worlds’ top universities, PM Bhattarai said at a programme organised today to mark TU's 53rd anniversary TU.

He underscored the need to join hands with the world's leading universities to maintain the quality of education in the fields of science and technology, and technical and social education.

"If we can provide international standard education within the country, we can prevent a large number of youth from going abroad for quality education," he said.

Bhattarai further said,"The cost of living in Nepal is one of the cheapest in the world. Many foreign students would want to enrol at Nepali universities if there are arrangements to transfer the credit to international universities by using English as the medium of instruction."

He urged the TU to make long-term plans and policies to draw international students to the country.

“Plans to improve higher education and maintain international standard can materialise only after improving the quality of human resources and the country's financial condition,” he added.

He also pledged to support the TU financially and technically if it comes up with new plans and programmes to transform the university into a sought-after destination for international students.

At the time of political stalemate, progressive thinking of academicians with special analysis of the current political scenario will help the government as well as political parties, he said.

Prof Hira Maharjan, Vice Chancellor, TU, said it will be fitting to declare the TU a national university after the decision to federate the country. He urged the government to make a declaration to this effect.

He also stressed the need to make the university self-reliant.

source: The Himalayan Times,28 June 2012