KU concludes AIU North Zone VC meet
Kathmandu University concluded the AIU North Zone Vice Chancellors meet with the theme ‘Globalization and Internationalisation of Higher Education & The Bharat-Nepal Higher Education Summit’ held from Feb 15 to 17. The summit, hosted at the University campus in Kavre’s Dhulikhel, aimed to facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange among universities from India and Nepal, further strengthening educational ties between the two nations. The event comprised three Technical Sessions focusing on topics such as ‘International Collaborations and Partnerships: Building Bridges for Higher Education,’ ‘Global Higher Education Policy and Regulation: Harmonizing Standards,’ and ‘Student Mobility and Diversity: Enhancing International Experience.’
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal inaugurated the Summit, emphasizing the need to reverse the significant outflow of money from countries like Nepal for higher education. He advocated for creating an environment conducive to youths seeking global opportunities and re-evaluating the internationalization of higher education.
Vice-chancellor of Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, Balvinder Shukla, attended the Summit and highlighted the increased significance of global higher education policy and regulations on an international scale, particularly with the introduction of the National Education Policy-2020.
During the meet, 100 Indian Universities showcased around 5,000 academic and vocational programs, innovations, and best practices. The faculty and students from India and Nepal had the opportunity to interact and discuss mutual research collaborations, faculty/student exchange, twinning programs, joint/dual degrees, etc., showcasing their innovations and best practices.
Vice-chancellors from various universities in Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, and other European and African countries also participated in the meeting.
KU Vice-chancellor Bhola Thapa stressed the need for coordination, collaboration, and ongoing dialogue among governments, international organizations, institutions, and stakeholders to ensure the quality, accessibility, and relevance of global higher education policy and regulation.
Deliberations on Nepal’s foreign and security challenges
Kathmandu: Global Center for Climate and Security Governance (GCSG), a kathmandu-based think-tank organized a closed-door deliberations on Nepal’s foreign policy challenges in the changing Geopolitics. Minister for Foreign Affairs NP Saud and senior ex-officials from Nepal Police, Nepal Army, Armed Police force and representatives from the civil society were present in the program.
The program held under the title Nepal’s Geostrategic Position in Changing Global Policies intensively deliberated Nepal’s foreign and security challenges. At the opening of the program, Abhaya R Joshi, Executive Director of GCSG, shed light on the importance of the program.
He said Nepal faces a challenging time to conduct its foreign policy in the fast-changing geopolitical scenario. CPN-UML leader Deepak Prakash Bhatta made a presentation about the recent global and Nepal scenario. The GCSG is a global think-tank with offices in Kathmandu and Sydney, Australia. According to the organizer, the report of this close-door discussion will be submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other state mechanisms.
Karma Band set to launch new album after almost a decade
The Karma band is set to launch a new album soon. The album not only marks a musical resurgence but also signifies the band’s dedication to reinventing themselves while staying true to their roots.
The band is gearing up to release a full album, breaking a ten-year hiatus despite intermittently unveiling singles. Known for their dynamic and evolving sound that resonates with the youth, Karma remains committed to preserving the essence of Newari folk music, the Band says.
In the musical odyssey that began over twenty years ago, Karma Band has been seamlessly blending Newari folk melodies with contemporary pop—giving a unique and a distinct musical experience with memorable numbers like—“Hukka Mero”, “Chaina Maile Timro”, “Kaha Hola Gharbar”, “Mauntama”, “Yanimaya” and others.
The current lineup of Karma includes Surendra Man Singh on vocals, Anil Shakya on drums, Firoz Bajracharya and Rigzin Wangyel Lama on guitar, and Ishwar Ghale on bass guitar.
The band’s album launch is supervised and undertaken by ASQ. Talking about the association with ASQ, Surendra Man Singh, Karma’s vocalist says, “There is a synergy that I wanted with our creative side and the disintegration that needed to happen on the managerial front. With ASQ coming in, we can now think of a bigger, better, and organized approach to our compositions also.”
Ashish Parajuli, Chairman of Adi Group and the founder of ASQ, underlines the importance of having a dedicated team for management, says, “Internationally, artist management isn’t just practiced, but is a must—which we take for granted sometimes. But with a band as big as Karma—the stark need of comprehensive artist management has been required, and hence we are here. We will now oversee every creative approach that Karma takes—from song’s release to concerts that will be organized nationally or internationally”.
COP28 debriefing with indigenous delegates held
Kathmandu: The Forum for Indigenous Girls (FIG) and ALL In Foundation (AIF) jointly hosted a ‘Debriefing COP28 with Indigenous Delegates from Nepal’ on Tuesday. The organizers said that the event aimed to gain insights into the experiences and perspectives of Nepali Indigenous delegates who participated in the COP28.
The organizers conducted this post-COP28 sharing event with indigenous delegates and youths who attended the conference. The objective of this initiative is to offer guidance to indigenous youths in Nepal regarding the situations and positions of indigenous youths at COP28. The event also aimed to explore how these youths can actively participate in future COP meetings as representatives of their community.
The program also helps to emphasize the role of Indigenous Youths as catalyst agents of change in addressing the global climate crisis and their specific contributions during COP28, said the organizers. “We will draft a statement paper from opinions and suggestions gathered during the program to support our objectives.”
A total of seven indigenous delegates from Nepal shared their experiences and findings from COP28 during the event. Pratima Khadgi, Pema Wangmo Lama, Buddha Gharti Magar, Indira Shreesh, Tunga Bhadra Rai, Dev Kumar Sunuwar and Yasso Kanti Bhattachan shared their experience.
