With Nepal’s new governance reform roadmap introducing measures for international students and researchers, including multi-entry visas of up to five years, vice-chancellors, former education ministers, academic leaders and policymakers came together to discuss how the country can attract students from around the world.
The discourse, titled ‘Nepal’s Readiness for Internationalising Higher Education’, was organised by StudyInNepal in collaboration with Tribhuvan University, alongside representatives from Kathmandu University, Pokhara University, Purbanchal University, Lumbini Buddhist University and Rajarshi Janak University.
The discussions focused on opportunities and challenges in Nepal’s education sector, with stakeholders calling for stronger policy support, visa simplification and global promotion to help raise international student numbers from the current 1,200–1,500 annually.
“With stronger university engagement, international student numbers could realistically grow to 3,000 in the near term. With supportive policy reforms, it has the potential to reach 10,000 students within the next three years,” Bikalp Raj Pokhrel, co-founder of StudyInNepal.com and vice-president of the Educational Consultancy Association of Nepal, told The PIE News.
“Some institutions have already shown encouraging results — for example, Kathmandu University reports around 12% international graduates, while Lumbini Buddhist University continues to attract a growing number of students, particularly from China.”
Just last year, amid discussions around overhauling Nepal’s education system and offering free visas to international students, The PIE learnt that specialised programs were being identified as key to expanding the country’s global appeal.
According to Pokhrel, programs centred around yoga and Buddhism, affordable medical education, Himalayan and glacier studies, sustainability and experiential learning could help Nepalese universities build distinct academic identities.
While institutions such as Lumbini Buddhist University and Kathmandu University are already attracting international interest in areas ranging from Buddhist studies to medical education and hydropower, emerging institutions like Narmaya Yog University are also being viewed as having strong potential in Himalayan and life-skills-based education.
Tribhuvan University’s recent focus on glacier studies is also seen as carrying strong international appeal, with northern India, Buddhist-majority countries, China, Africa, Europe and the Nepali diaspora emerging as key focus markets for Nepal’s internationalisation ambitions.
“Nepal’s geographic advantage also plays a key role. Its open border with Indian states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar creates strong opportunities to attract medical students. In fact, medical colleges under Tribhuvan University are already enrolling a considerable number of students from India,” Pokhrel said.
“At the same time, Kathmandu University is attracting medical students from countries like Maldives and Sri Lanka, showing Nepal’s growing regional appeal. Beyond degree programs, Nepal is already attracting European volunteers through cultural exchange, community engagement and experiential learning initiatives.”
Policymakers increasingly recognize that attracting international students can strengthen institutional credibility, build confidence among parents and students, and gradually reduce outbound student flow
Bikalp Raj Pokhrel, StudyInNepal
While ministers and stakeholders at the StudyInNepal discourse highlighted Nepal’s affordability, experiential learning opportunities and safe environment as key strengths, the country continues to see strong outbound mobility, with nearly USD 1 billion spent annually on overseas education, according to Pokhrel, despite government efforts to rein in “brain drain” through reforms to the No Objection Certificate process.
“Overseas education has become one of the major contributors to the country’s trade deficit, alongside sectors like petroleum, food and vehicles,” stated Pokhrel.
“Policymakers increasingly recognise that attracting international students can strengthen institutional credibility, build confidence among parents and students, and gradually reduce outbound student flow.”
Quality challenges, political interference and inadequate infrastructure continue to affect Nepal’s higher education sector, with hundreds of campuses facing closure in recent years due to declining enrolments as students seek better prospects abroad, prompting education unions to call for higher public spending on education.
While Pokhrel highlighted reforms such as a new national qualification framework, dual-degree permissions and government plans to allow international universities to establish campuses in Nepal, further policy and institutional support is still expected.
“Encouragingly, we are receiving timely engagement and access to MPs and policymakers, which shows growing interest and openness toward this initiative,” stated Pokhrel.
“Looking ahead, support is expected in key areas such as policy facilitation, visa simplification, regulatory clarity, quality assurance, infrastructure development, and global promotion of “Study in Nepal.”
