Dwiraj Sharma: One man’s vision, from alpha to omega

Since its inception 30 years ago, Alfa Beta Institute of Kathmandu has given Nepali students a forum for international education. It provides career counseling and admission support to students who want to travel abroad for further studies. 

The institute represents over 300 universities from more than 12 destination countries, including the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and Ireland, making it the largest university network representative in Nepal. Additionally, Alfa Beta conducts tests like IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and CPA, in which around 70,000 students participate annually. It also organizes short English teaching programs and bridge courses for fresh SEE graduates. 

Dwiraj Sharma, CEO and president of Alfa Beta, says he draws inspiration from Singaporean statesman Lee Kuan Yew, who once equated educating everyone to building a robust country.

“To establish our country as an international brand like Singapore, we need strong business leaders who work with honesty and diligence,” Sharma says. 

Yew transformed his country by recruiting top-skilled professional and educational geniuses and paying them handsomely so that they did not have to accept bribes. Sharma has adopted a similar approach in his institute, which not only invests a lot on staff training but also offers lucrative wages. 

The vision of Alfa Beta is to become Nepal’s leading educational institute and put the clients’ interest first. 

“Carrying out this vision is only possible through collective effort,” Sharma says. “You can deliver quality services only if you have a good and honest team.” 

Thanks to its highly motivated and professional staff, Alfa Beta was recognized as “Nepal’s Number 1 Business Partner” by IDP IELTS for three successive years between 2017 and 2019. The institute has also been recognized by global organizations like Pearson and ETS.

Asked what is unique about Alfa Beta, Sharma says adopting a customer-centric approach to service delivery has been the key to its success. 

“We prioritize quality. While this may increase the cost, we still want to deliver excellent service to our clients,” he says. 

Sharma’s involvement in the education field does not end here, he has his hands deep in diverse ventures. He holds the position of the president of the Association of Australian Education Representatives in Nepal (AAERI), a professional education agency that helps students explore higher education opportunities in Australia. He is also the trade representative of Nepal for the Trade Commissioner Services (TCS), a business promotion wing of the Canadian government that helps companies navigate international markets. 

Additionally, Sharma works as a central member of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, assisting Nepal government in its education-policy making. 

Sharma advocates a stable and efficient system to impart quality education in all public schools. 

“Only by bridging the gap between private and public schools can Nepal achieve its goal of quality education for all,” he says. 

While formulating education plans and policies, he adds, it is important to learn from the likes of Norway, Sweden, India, Singapore and Australia and figure out what makes their education institutions so successful.

Sharma is an idealist and a realist at the same time. He has big plans for the country but also acknowledges the challenges that stand on the way to achieving them, most crucially Nepal’s unstable political environment and policy inconsistencies. 

“The government has to create a work and investment-friendly environment for businesspersons and investors alike,” Sharma says. “Our country is in dire need of experts who have brilliant ideas and international ties. Only then can Nepal sustainably grow and develop.”