Over the past few years, there has been a remarkable increase in the number of educational institutions providing foreign degree programme in Nepal itself. From A levels, IB, CBSE to the fields like hotel management, business, IT, and many more, Nepalese institutions are swiftly able to trace the preference for qualitative education offered by the foreign institutions resulting many youths to leave the home country. Keeping the standard of education aside, there are many other correlated goals that the students yearn to receive by flying abroad such as better research resources, impactful internships and job placements, independency and cultural exchange.
However, moving miles across for the education is not financially viable to many Nepali families whether it’s for Australia, Germany, USA, Canada or even India. There are many provisions for scholarships offered by the foreign universities but the competition to bag one is really tough and only few students are able to grab it. Therefore, with the prime objective to provide qualitative foreign education with far cheaper price in Nepal , multiple Nepali institutions have been affiliated to various foreign universities and are providing the degrees under them.
Preparing for global citizen
The ultimate role of a foreign degree is to prepare upgraded global citizens that not only help to visualize the local possibilities, but also assist to acknowledge the international procedures to be successful. But how far has the Nepali institution being able to present this motive practically to the students? In this context, Mrs. Kumuda Lamichhane, the Programme Leader at The British College shares, “We live in a globalized atmosphere. The entire world is converging. Therefore, what we must understand is our students are not only confronting the Nepalese market but are competing with the world. Hence, foreign degree prepares them to be global competitor. At the same time, since the affiliating universities let us to contextualized some of the local examples, we are able to draw attention about many scenarios of Nepal to our students as well.” Briefing about the cost and the relevant services, she states, “Foreign degrees are undoubtedly expensive than the national degrees in Nepal but the opportunities and qualities associated with the degree is totally worthy. The strong foundation built by the Transferable skills ,Academic literacy and Employability , make foreign degrees quite cost efficient.”
Innovative Curriculum
On the other hand, when Narottam Aryal, Executive Director and the Principal of King’s college was asked about how successfully has the institutions here in Nepal being able to provide qualitative foreign degrees, he mentions,” We can’t generalised a homogenic conclusion from heterogenic colleges. There are many colleges with different facilities, staffs, teaching techniques, opportunities and exposures. Since the education is not only about a paper degree, but also about the overall development of the students , it entirely depends as per the institutions.” He also believes that the students are also equally responsible to make their foreign degree more authentic by being sincere, logical, creative and an active participant. He says, “Foreign curriculum is designed in such a way that every students can pursue their own field of interest specifically, unlike Nepali education system. The array of knowledge, resources and real life case scenarios make students to research on their own and explore the world. So it’s genuine that the effectiveness of foreign degrees is executed by the students.”
Research based assessment for students
Moving on, the approaches and intensity used in the overseas degrees make the education curriculum more advanced, updated and applicable in the real world. Students tend to be more accountable and self driven to learn rather than relying solely on the teachers.When asked about the adaptability of Nepalese students with the foreign course, Sadiksha Thapa, a student from King’s College addresses, “Initially, we might find it harder to cope up with the new system. As a kid, we were taught to rote word by word. We were hardly encouraged to write our own answers. Sadly, we have been brought up that way. But foreign courses are mostly based on research and our understanding about the course. We don’t have to mug up the things. Rather, we do an intensive study about the courses and try to get as much information as possible on the topics we are writing our papers on. So,when we suddenly face with a system that encourages with our own answers backed by a few research, it might get a little overwhelming in the beginning. But as we get used to it, we find that this was actually the better way to learn.”
Students preference to go abroad
Meanwhile, where there is speedy growth to provide foreign degree in the country, the trend of students going abroad is still high. For this, Fr. Anup Ranjan Minj, S.J. , Treasurer at St. Xavier’s College justifies, ”Education cannot be limited within territories. Though, we have good number of institutions providing official foreign degree, it might not quench the thirst of students.” He added, ”Some students may want to experience the real lifestyle of other countries. Some may want to know how international companies run in reality. Some may love to travel and explore. So, these desires are only fulfilled in the actual playground because of which, many students fly abroad.”
It’s nothing new that today’s generation are more self directed. In short, the rise in the number of institutions providing foreign degrees in Nepal presents a clear evidence about it’s popularity in the youths nowadays. These overseas degree not only assure standard education, but also saves the high living cost of abroad study. Students can study and work unconditionally at the same time unlike the rigid visa contexts, giving students another reason to choose this study.
By: Ruby Shah
