Educationists at a national workshop in Kathmandu on October 15 stressed that universities in Nepal should maintain their autonomy, saying it is important to expanding students’ access to higher education, making education more affordable and improving the quality of universities. The workshop, titled “University Grants Commission and Nepal’s Higher Education,” was organised by Pragyik Vidyarthi Parishad (PVP) Nepal.
Autonomy linked to access and affordability
Participants highlighted university autonomy as a key concern in discussions about the future of higher education in Nepal. Their recommendations connected the ability of universities to operate autonomously with three priorities: enabling more students to pursue higher education, keeping education affordable and raising the quality of university education. The workshop focused on the University Grants Commission and Nepal’s higher education, bringing those priorities into a wider discussion about how universities should be maintained and improved.
The emphasis on access placed students at the centre of the workshop’s concerns. Educationists argued that universities should be kept autonomous in order to expand opportunities for students to enter higher education. In that view, access is not separate from questions about how universities are organised: the workshop’s recommendation treated autonomy as part of the conditions needed to make higher education more widely available.
Affordability was another of the goals cited by the educationists. Their call was not limited to expanding the number of students able to pursue higher education; it also stressed that education should be affordable. The workshop therefore presented access and cost as connected priorities, alongside the need to improve the quality of universities. The three aims formed the central rationale offered for maintaining university autonomy.
Quality and the future of higher education
Improving university quality was also identified as a reason to preserve autonomy. The educationists’ position linked the issue to the wider task of strengthening higher education in Nepal, rather than treating autonomy as an end in itself. Their recommendations set out a broad direction: universities should retain autonomy while the higher education sector works to widen student participation, address affordability and improve quality.
The workshop’s title reflected its focus on the relationship between the University Grants Commission and higher education in Nepal. Within that discussion, participants stressed the importance of maintaining university autonomy. The summary of the workshop does not detail particular institutional changes or measures, but it does make clear that educationists regarded autonomy as important to advancing the three stated priorities for universities and students.
Workshop discussion
Organised by PVP Nepal, the national workshop brought attention to the question of how universities can contribute to a higher education system that is more accessible, affordable and better in quality. The recommendations presented at the October 15 event placed those goals together, emphasizing that efforts to expand student access should be considered alongside affordability and university standards.
The educationists’ message was that maintaining autonomy should remain an important part of discussions on Nepal’s universities and higher education. By linking autonomy with opportunities for students, the cost of education and university quality, the workshop framed the issue around outcomes for both learners and institutions. Its central call was to preserve university autonomy as the country considers how to strengthen and broaden higher education.
