Nepal

In a first-of-its-kind private sector initiative, Nepalese universities are coming together to attract international students, amid ambitions to increase enrolment more than sixfold within three years and position the country as an "emerging South Asian education destination".

Nepal and India hardest hit as Australia’s January-March visa data shows tightening, with the sector flagging a lack of clarity amid more stable outcomes for applicants from China and Southeast Asia

With Nepal’s new government now in place, the country is considering reforms including an NOC overhaul, tighter consultancy rules, digital tracking of outbound student transactions, and a push to attract international students in niche disciplines.

As heightened tensions in the Middle East enter their seventh day, international students in the UAE and Iran are facing disruption, from postponed exams and online learning to internet outages, as embassies race to keep citizens updated.

Enrolment issues affecting some students have prompted the Nepal Embassy to conduct a closer review of the UK university’s No Objection Certificate (NOC) status, as Nepalese authorities move to address challenges faced by a “significant number” of students.

From a slowdown in Indian students studying abroad – even as transnational education expands – to Sri Lanka and Nepal emerging as key partnership hubs and Pakistan and Bangladesh facing tighter study visa restrictions, South Asia’s global education market is growing — albeit with challenges.

Nepal, a key student recruitment market, is now planning to offer free study visas to international students enrolling at its universities.

With its outbound student mobility ratio at 19%, nearly 10 times that of India and China, Nepal is attracting international universities.

Following a Nepali student's suicide at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, students and consultants say Nepal may tighten regulations on studying abroad, especially in India.