3rd May, Kathmandu Nepal
Madan Bhandari University of Science and Technology (MBUST) is set to host a day-long international conference titled “First Step towards World Class University” in Kathmandu on Sunday.

The event will bring together renowned academicians, policymakers, researchers, industry leaders, and students from Nepal and abroad to discuss the university’s vision and roadmap for achieving global academic standards.

According to University President Dr. Rajendra Dhoj Joshi, the primary goal of the conference is to foster international collaborations and generate broader support for the newly established university.

“We are new in this sector and need support from everyone to run this university smoothly,” Dr. Joshi said, adding that Rs. 12.5 million has already been raised in donations to support the initiative.

The university began operations under a special University Operation Act passed by the government. Currently, MBUST has 34 postgraduate and doctoral students enrolled.

The conference’s keynote speech will be delivered by Prof. Seeram Ramakrishna, a trustee of MBUST and a faculty member at the National University of Singapore.

The panel discussion on “Building a World-class University: The Power of Stakeholder Engagement” will be moderated by Mr. Prateek Pradhan, Editor-in-Chief of Baahrakhari Media. Panelists include:

Mr. Bhanu Acharya, Trustee, MBUST and Former Auditor General

Prof. Govind Raj Pokharel, Former Vice Chairperson, National Planning Commission

Dr. Rajendra Dhoj Joshi, President, MBUST

Hon. Mahesh Kumar Bartuala, Trustee, MBUST and Member of Parliament

Prof. Dr. Sangeeta Singh, Trustee, MBUST and Former Member, National Planning Commission

The event will also feature presentations by over seven international speakers, including globally respected academics and professionals:

Prof. Nam Pyo Suh, Trustee, MBUST; Professor Emeritus at MIT and KAIST, Korea

Prof. Suzanne Fortier, Trustee, MBUST; McGill University, Canada

Prof. Richard Miller, Founding President, Olin College of Engineering, USA

Prof. Seeram Ramakrishna, National University of Singapore

Dr. Kenichi Ohashi, Former Country Director, The World Bank Nepal

Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Chairperson, Board of Trustees, University of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan

Mr. Bruce Flessner, Chairperson, Everest Fund of Science and Technology, USA

The conference marks an important step for MBUST as it seeks to position itself as a globally connected, innovation-driven institution. The conference will be attended by more than 400 participants and more than 30 speakers.