Kathmandu July 3: Kathmandu University (KU) is going to launch a new academic program Master in Public Policy from the coming Academic Session starting from February 2019.
Kathmandu University in collaboration with Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) will establish a program dedicated solely towards public policy, the first of its type in Nepal. Established in 1979, Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) has been functioning as a premier think tank in Nepal. This program is also supported by US Embassy in Nepal.
The information was shared in an event organized today at the capital by the Vice-chancellor of Kathmandu University Dr. Ram Kantha Makaju Shrestha and Executive Director of IIDS Dr. Bishnu Dev Pant.
Highlighting the importance of public policy, Vice Chancellor Shrestha said that he being a surgeon can treat patients but a policymaker can treat a society.
This event was also attended by the Ambassador of United States to Nepal Alaina B. Teplitz, Member of parliament and leader of Nepali Congress Mr. Gagan Thapa and Former Vice-Chairperson of National Planning Commission, Dr. Swarnim Wagle.
Ambassador Teplitz said that it is good to establish the Public Policy education in Nepal since the public policy debate is crucial in Nepal as Nepal is in the transition to a federal state and public policy can play a huge role.
Similarly, Congress leader Gagan Thapa thanked KU and IIDS for filling a gap in Nepalese education for introducing an interdisciplinary program like this.
Former Vice Chairperson of National Planning Commission, Swarnim Wagle said that the institutional decay in Nepal should be stopped. He also gave the example of Oxford University which gives scholarships to almost all the students of Masters in Public Policy program and insisted to give large financial packaging to the Nepali institutions to establish credibility.
Similarly, the Chairperson of Governing Council, IIDS, Dr. Mohan Man Sainju said sustainability must be taken into account while implementing public policies.
