Kathmandu University (KU) is taking significant steps to internationalize higher education in Nepal, aiming to position the country as a regional education hub. Global universities are showing interest in collaborating with KU as it expands its international reach and academic offerings.
In an increasingly competitive academic world, universities worldwide seek to attract international students who enrich their campuses with diverse perspectives. Their presence not only enhances classroom discussions and research but also helps domestic students develop crucial communication and intercultural skills. For the host institution, welcoming foreign students ensures its programs remain globally relevant and aligned with international standards.
The exchange of students also strengthens ties between countries. When international graduates return home, they often act as informal ambassadors, promoting trade, research, and diplomatic relationships. Many also stay on to work, contributing to the host country’s economy and skilled workforce.
To advance its internationalization goals, KU aims to maintain international students at around 10 percent of total enrollment across all programs. It plans to attract these students by offering affordable tuition, leveraging Nepal’s low cost of living, and building research partnerships with universities in the Global North.
Until 2021, KU had no specific policy to attract international students; those interested joined the university on their own initiative and funding. That changed when KU introduced measures to improve research engagement, international collaboration, and faculty exchange.
Each professor and associate professor at KU now has at least one Research Fellow (RF) to support departmental research. KU students pursuing MS by Research, MPhil, or PhD degrees can serve as RFs in exchange for fee waivers, and the same opportunity is extended to international students, who are also provided free accommodation when available.
To enhance its academic environment, KU launched a global “Call for International Faculty” on July 1, drawing over 450 applications from around the world. Selected professors receive a 50 percent higher salary than Nepali faculty if they teach at least a three-credit course for one semester.
The School of Arts and School of Education have already recruited educators from the United States, Brazil, Britain, South Korea, Taiwan, India, the Nordic countries, and China. Three international faculty members from the UK and USA are already teaching, with more joining next semester.
Between April 2021 and May 2024, KU hosted more than 178 higher education leaders and representatives from 37 countries, including vice-chancellors, ambassadors, and government officials, reflecting its growing global reputation.
International collaboration has long been central to KU’s academic identity. It has established partnerships with 284 higher education institutions across 42 countries, creating pathways for student exchange, joint research, and double-degree programs.
KU’s major partners include the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, University of South-Eastern Norway, Western Sydney University, and the Indian Institutes of Technology in Hyderabad and Madras. Through such collaborations, KU faculty and students have benefited from programs like Erasmus+, the European Union’s education and training initiative.
Currently, students from 57 countries, including Benin, Zambia, and South Africa, have studied at KU—making up 12.33 percent (5,660) of its 41,275 graduates. The university’s scholarships, fee waivers, and free housing for foreign students, coupled with its academic quality, are making KU a preferred destination for higher education in South Asia.
In the academic year 2023/24, KU launched a Bachelor in Yogic Science and Well-Being program in Tirupati, India, with the Shri Vishweswara Yoga Research Institute. It is also preparing to offer a Bachelor in Buddhist Studies in Hong Kong in collaboration with the Thrangu Vajrayana Buddhist Center.
Similarly, in 2024/25, KU introduced a double degree Bachelor in Information Technology (BIT) program in Australia with the Crown Institute of Higher Education. These programs mark a paradigm shift, extending KU’s reach beyond Nepal’s borders.
The university also runs a 2+2 undergraduate program with the Hebei University of Economics and Business in China and joint programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and PhD levels with Western Sydney University. The Confucius Institute at KU, established in 2007, continues to attract Chinese students, while a new partnership with the Yunus Emre Institute will establish a Turkish Cultural Center in Nepal.
To bring more international students to Nepal, KU has begun collaborating with global education consultancies. In January 2023, it signed Letters of Intent with eight Nepali, four Chinese, and one US consultancy. These efforts have already brought over 50 new international students, primarily from China. In the last semester alone, 12 new PhD candidates—11 Chinese and one American—joined the School of Arts.
Despite these successes, KU faces major hurdles in attracting more foreign students—chief among them, Nepal’s restrictive student visa policy. The government currently does not issue student visas based solely on university offer letters, discouraging applicants who wish to study in Nepal.
KU has urged the Ministry of Education to create scholarship and internship programs for international students and to revise visa policies. In June 2022, it wrote to the Minister of Education requesting six annual scholarships—one for each school except Medical Sciences—for foreign students. The appeal was also shared with Nepali embassies worldwide.
Nepal’s visa regime remains one of the most tourist-friendly in the world but lacks flexibility for genuine students. Authorities fear misuse of student visas, but strict rules now penalize legitimate applicants. KU believes that a collaborative national approach—involving the government, universities, and the private sector—is essential to develop student-friendly policies that can help make Nepal a global education destination.
Kathmandu University’s efforts mark a crucial beginning. If supported by policy reforms, these initiatives could transform Nepal into a regional hub of higher learning—where affordability, diversity, and academic excellence come together to attract the world’s brightest minds.
