Krishna Bista is Associate Professor of Higher Education in the Department of Advanced Studies, Leadership and Policy at Morgan State University, Maryland. His research focuses on college student experiences related to classroom participation, faculty-student relationships, and cross-cultural teachings, and learning strategies in higher education. Dr Bista is the founding editor of the Journal of International Students, a quarterly publication on international education.Rosalind Latiner Raby is a senior lecturer in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies department at the Michael E. Eisner College of Education at California State University, Northridge. She is also the director of a non-profit consortia, California Colleges for International Education that serves the California community colleges. Dr Raby is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education.Shyam Sharma is Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Writing at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Dr Sharma is the editor of the International Journal of Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Higher Education. In addition to having published in a variety of venues about writing in the academic disciplines, cross-cultural rhetoric, and new media in higher education, he contributes a regular column for the Republica about higher education in Nepal.

'A compelling and very timely book, which provides thorough insight into the dilemmas and dynamics of higher education in Nepal. An important contribution to the existing scholarship.' - Karen Valentin, PhD, Associate Professor, Danish School of Education, Aarhus University, Denmark'This well-researched, informative, and timely volume about Nepalese higher education is a rich resource for those involved in comparative education research anywhere in the world.' - Hari P. Koirala, PhD, Distinguished Professor, Eastern Connecticut State University'This is an impressive collection of well-researched chapters on Nepali higher education in a single volume . The sheer diversity of topics and the depth of details found in each chapter provide important insights for researchers and students alike.' - Bal Krishna Sharma, PhD, Assistant Professor of English, University of Idaho'This book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in gaining a larger understanding of the dynamics of the higher education system in Nepal. It delves into the sociopolitical contexts surrounding the nation’s struggle to provide a modern, quality education system by exploring topics including the major issues inhibiting innovative policy and programs and effective approaches to contemporary educational reform.' - Chandra Pokhrel, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Physics, Centenary College of Louisiana'Higher Education in Nepal: Policies and Perspectives is a compilation of unique construction of research on theories and practices in reflecting the outcome conducted within the higher education in Nepal covering a phenomenal aspect related to various issues and trends and therefore offers broader collective meaning, views and perspectives which are intellectually put together in one set of content for the wider readership community.' - Mani Man Singh Rajbhandari, Ph.D, Professor/Researcher, Pontificia Universidad, Catolica del Peru 'A must read. The book provides comprehensive analysis of historical as well as current state of affairs about higher education in Nepal. Each chapter topic provides critical perspectives that should be extremely helpful to policy makers, educators as well as researchers.' - Jeet Joshee, PhD, Associate Vice President, International Education and Global Engagement, California State University, Long Beach'We owe Krishna Bista, Shyam Sharma and Rosalind Raby (co-editors) and the contributors to the Higher Education in Nepal: Policies and Perspective a debt of gratitude. This book features rigorous, timely, and wide-ranging topics that set the stage for a critical dialogue and better understanding of how we got here while addressing the emerging educational issues, changes,and innovations through the lens of social justice. A unique volume relevant for today's educators, scholars, and policy makers.' - Kalyani Rai, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee'The first of its kind, Higher Education in Nepal tells insightful stories of stark realities, hitherto unreported, in Nepalese higher education from multiple perspectives written by Nepalese and foreign scholars in a single volume. The volume provides the first in-depth scholarly discussion of pertinent issues and challenges in higher education in a small developing economy, thus being an indispensable text for researchers interested in higher education in South Asia and developing economies.' - Prithvi N. Shrestha, PhD, Senior Lecturer in English Language, School of Languages and Applied Linguistics, The Open University, UK.'This volume captures key debates about higher education development in Nepal, which, will undoubtedly be a useful resource for educational researchers, policy makers and development practitioners. It is a unique and timely contribution as Nepal is embarking upon a path of development and prosperity in which higher education can play a crucial role.' - Tejendra Pherali, PhD, Associate Professor in Education and International Development, University College London, UK'This book is informative, clear and able to showcase Nepalese higher education. Must read title for everyone in the field.' - Jeet Sapkota, PhD, Assistant Professor of International Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan 'This book asks critical questions about the state of Nepal’s higher education, and how innovative teaching and knowledge production can revitalize Nepal.' -Åshild Kolås,PhD, Research Professor, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Norway'Despite a robust growth in the number of higher education institutions in Nepal in recent times, there has been a dearth of resources that critically look at different dimension related to this field. This volume provides a comprehensive coverage of the issues that need attention in Nepali higher education as it brings some of the most pressing issues that Nepali academia is facing at present. It will certainly open the conversation for further exploration. A highly resourceful book for the students, faculty and researchers interested in the issues of higher education.'- Laxmi Prasad Ojha, Doctoral Student, Minnesota State University, Mankato, USA 'Higher education has played a crucial role in Nepal’s recent political and cultural transformation. This volume comprehensively explores the systemic obstacles to and pedagogical opportunities for quality higher education in the new Nepal as it continues to play that role.' - Tom O’Neill, Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, Brock University, Canada 'This book examines and showcases the impacts of the shifting global dynamics, socio-politics and socio-economics on higher education in Nepal. Although Neoliberalism and it's tenets have always been a dominant ideology in Nepali education, an attempt to deconstruct this dominant discourse is evident in several chapters of this book. However, issues related to economics, social justice and politics persist as do issues related to perceptions about professional development, innovation and academic research. Hence, and as mentioned by authors in this book, the need to re-evaluate issues, dilemmas and perceptions in Nepali higher education and related premises through an unconventional lens is of primary importance.' - Sapna Thapa, EdD, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Stout, USA ‘A must read for anyone interested in contemporary higher education in Nepal, its role in the social transformation of the country, and importantly the challenges it faces.’- Alpa Shah, PhD, Associate Professor, PhD, Department of Anthropology, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK'This timely book provides a wide-ranging discussion of higher education in the rapidly changing context of Nepal. The individual chapters use diverse methodological approaches to highlight important aspects of the history, present, and future of higher education in Nepal; together, they paint a compelling picture of an educational system striving toward excellence and equity. This book will be essential reading for scholars and practitioners interested in higher education in Nepal or in a comparative context.' - Miranda Weinberg, PhD, Visiting Assistant Professor of Linguistics, Swarthmore College, USA

• List of contributorAcknowledgmentsForeword (Sabnam Koirala-Nawaj)Section I: Introduction1. Telling Stories, Generating Perspectives: Local-Global Dynamics in Nepalese Higher education. (Krishna Bista, Shyam Sharma, Rosalind L. Raby)Section II: Socio-economic Contexts and Issues2. Higher Education and Economic Development in Nepal. (Amrit Thapa and Ujjwala Maharjan)3. Progress and Lags in Educational Attainment in Nepal. (Shyam Thapa)4. Understanding Policies, Priorities, and Roles: Higher Education in Nepal at Crossroad. (Suresh Gautam, Prakash C. Bhattarai, and Tanka Nath Sharma)5. Class, Gender, Ethnicity, and Higher Education Choice in Nepal. (Damodar Khanal) 6. Faculty and student experience of earthquakes in Nepal: Crisis management recommendation in Nepalese higher education. (Rajendra Joshi & Herbert Fynewever)Section III: Globalization and Global Issues7. Brain Drain and Higher Education in Nepal. (Bhesh Raj Mainali)8. Diaspora and Capacity Building in Higher Education in Nepal: An Entrepreneurial Perspectives. (Dinesh Gajurel and Basu Sharma)9. Nepalese Recruiting Agents for Overseas Higher Education: Issues and Challenges. (Krishna Bista)10. Higher Education: Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal. (Monica L. Lakhwani)Section IV: Important Trends and Changes11. Making the Shifts to Change the System: Implementing Semester System through Pedagogical Training in Tribhuvan University. (Sudha Tripathi, Shyam Sharma and Surendra Subedi)12. Decentralized and Autonomous Higher Education in Nepal: How Nepalese Higher Education Derived These Names and Legitimacy. (Nitya Nanda Timsina)13. Open University of Nepal Initiative: Lessons Learned from Designing an Institution of Higher Learning. (Pramod Dhakal, Drona Rasali, Ambika Adhikari, and Raju Adhikari)Section V: Disciplinary and Social Perspectives 14. Nepal’s Journalism Education in Tertiary Level and the Role of Diaspora Scholars. (Bhanubhakta Acharya)15. A Situated Discourse: How Writing is Defined and Taught in Higher Education in Nepal. (Santosh Khadka)16. Community Colleges and Youth Mobilization: Assessing the 21st Century Workforce Development in Nepal. (Krishna Bista and Uttam Gaulee)Section VI: Paths Forward17. Redesigning Higher Education in Nepal. (Shyam Sharma)18. Privatizing Higher Education of Nepal: Problems and Possibilities. (Bala Raju Nikku) 19. Promising innovations in Teacher Professional Development through the Application of ICTs and Open and Distance Learning. (Ellen Carm)Section VII: Conclusion20. Complexities of Higher Education in Nepal (Rosalind L. Raby, Shyam Sharma, Krishna Bista)Index

Krishna Bista is Associate Professor of Higher Education in the Department of Advanced Studies, Leadership and Policy at Morgan State University, Maryland. His research focuses on college student experiences related to classroom participation, faculty-student relationships, and cross-cultural teachings, and learning strategies in higher education. Dr Bista is the founding editor of the Journal of International Students, a quarterly publication on international education.Rosalind Latiner Raby is a senior lecturer in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies department at the Michael E. Eisner College of Education at California State University, Northridge. She is also the director of a non-profit consortia, California Colleges for International Education that serves the California community colleges. Dr Raby is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education.Shyam Sharma is Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Writing at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Dr Sharma is the editor of the International Journal of Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Higher Education. In addition to having published in a variety of venues about writing in the academic disciplines, cross-cultural rhetoric, and new media in higher education, he contributes a regular column for the Republica about higher education in Nepal.

'A compelling and very timely book, which provides thorough insight into the dilemmas and dynamics of higher education in Nepal. An important contribution to the existing scholarship.' - Karen Valentin, PhD, Associate Professor, Danish School of Education, Aarhus University, Denmark'This well-researched, informative, and timely volume about Nepalese higher education is a rich resource for those involved in comparative education research anywhere in the world.' - Hari P. Koirala, PhD, Distinguished Professor, Eastern Connecticut State University'This is an impressive collection of well-researched chapters on Nepali higher education in a single volume . The sheer diversity of topics and the depth of details found in each chapter provide important insights for researchers and students alike.' - Bal Krishna Sharma, PhD, Assistant Professor of English, University of Idaho'This book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in gaining a larger understanding of the dynamics of the higher education system in Nepal. It delves into the sociopolitical contexts surrounding the nation’s struggle to provide a modern, quality education system by exploring topics including the major issues inhibiting innovative policy and programs and effective approaches to contemporary educational reform.' - Chandra Pokhrel, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Physics, Centenary College of Louisiana'Higher Education in Nepal: Policies and Perspectives is a compilation of unique construction of research on theories and practices in reflecting the outcome conducted within the higher education in Nepal covering a phenomenal aspect related to various issues and trends and therefore offers broader collective meaning, views and perspectives which are intellectually put together in one set of content for the wider readership community.' - Mani Man Singh Rajbhandari, Ph.D, Professor/Researcher, Pontificia Universidad, Catolica del Peru 'A must read. The book provides comprehensive analysis of historical as well as current state of affairs about higher education in Nepal. Each chapter topic provides critical perspectives that should be extremely helpful to policy makers, educators as well as researchers.' - Jeet Joshee, PhD, Associate Vice President, International Education and Global Engagement, California State University, Long Beach'We owe Krishna Bista, Shyam Sharma and Rosalind Raby (co-editors) and the contributors to the Higher Education in Nepal: Policies and Perspective a debt of gratitude. This book features rigorous, timely, and wide-ranging topics that set the stage for a critical dialogue and better understanding of how we got here while addressing the emerging educational issues, changes,and innovations through the lens of social justice. A unique volume relevant for today's educators, scholars, and policy makers.' - Kalyani Rai, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee'The first of its kind, Higher Education in Nepal tells insightful stories of stark realities, hitherto unreported, in Nepalese higher education from multiple perspectives written by Nepalese and foreign scholars in a single volume. The volume provides the first in-depth scholarly discussion of pertinent issues and challenges in higher education in a small developing economy, thus being an indispensable text for researchers interested in higher education in South Asia and developing economies.' - Prithvi N. Shrestha, PhD, Senior Lecturer in English Language, School of Languages and Applied Linguistics, The Open University, UK.'This volume captures key debates about higher education development in Nepal, which, will undoubtedly be a useful resource for educational researchers, policy makers and development practitioners. It is a unique and timely contribution as Nepal is embarking upon a path of development and prosperity in which higher education can play a crucial role.' - Tejendra Pherali, PhD, Associate Professor in Education and International Development, University College London, UK'This book is informative, clear and able to showcase Nepalese higher education. Must read title for everyone in the field.' - Jeet Sapkota, PhD, Assistant Professor of International Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan 'This book asks critical questions about the state of Nepal’s higher education, and how innovative teaching and knowledge production can revitalize Nepal.' -Åshild Kolås,PhD, Research Professor, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Norway'Despite a robust growth in the number of higher education institutions in Nepal in recent times, there has been a dearth of resources that critically look at different dimension related to this field. This volume provides a comprehensive coverage of the issues that need attention in Nepali higher education as it brings some of the most pressing issues that Nepali academia is facing at present. It will certainly open the conversation for further exploration. A highly resourceful book for the students, faculty and researchers interested in the issues of higher education.'- Laxmi Prasad Ojha, Doctoral Student, Minnesota State University, Mankato, USA 'Higher education has played a crucial role in Nepal’s recent political and cultural transformation. This volume comprehensively explores the systemic obstacles to and pedagogical opportunities for quality higher education in the new Nepal as it continues to play that role.' - Tom O’Neill, Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, Brock University, Canada 'This book examines and showcases the impacts of the shifting global dynamics, socio-politics and socio-economics on higher education in Nepal. Although Neoliberalism and it's tenets have always been a dominant ideology in Nepali education, an attempt to deconstruct this dominant discourse is evident in several chapters of this book. However, issues related to economics, social justice and politics persist as do issues related to perceptions about professional development, innovation and academic research. Hence, and as mentioned by authors in this book, the need to re-evaluate issues, dilemmas and perceptions in Nepali higher education and related premises through an unconventional lens is of primary importance.' - Sapna Thapa, EdD, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Stout, USA ‘A must read for anyone interested in contemporary higher education in Nepal, its role in the social transformation of the country, and importantly the challenges it faces.’- Alpa Shah, PhD, Associate Professor, PhD, Department of Anthropology, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK'This timely book provides a wide-ranging discussion of higher education in the rapidly changing context of Nepal. The individual chapters use diverse methodological approaches to highlight important aspects of the history, present, and future of higher education in Nepal; together, they paint a compelling picture of an educational system striving toward excellence and equity. This book will be essential reading for scholars and practitioners interested in higher education in Nepal or in a comparative context.' - Miranda Weinberg, PhD, Visiting Assistant Professor of Linguistics, Swarthmore College, USA

• List of contributorAcknowledgmentsForeword (Sabnam Koirala-Nawaj)Section I: Introduction1. Telling Stories, Generating Perspectives: Local-Global Dynamics in Nepalese Higher education. (Krishna Bista, Shyam Sharma, Rosalind L. Raby)Section II: Socio-economic Contexts and Issues2. Higher Education and Economic Development in Nepal. (Amrit Thapa and Ujjwala Maharjan)3. Progress and Lags in Educational Attainment in Nepal. (Shyam Thapa)4. Understanding Policies, Priorities, and Roles: Higher Education in Nepal at Crossroad. (Suresh Gautam, Prakash C. Bhattarai, and Tanka Nath Sharma)5. Class, Gender, Ethnicity, and Higher Education Choice in Nepal. (Damodar Khanal) 6. Faculty and student experience of earthquakes in Nepal: Crisis management recommendation in Nepalese higher education. (Rajendra Joshi & Herbert Fynewever)Section III: Globalization and Global Issues7. Brain Drain and Higher Education in Nepal. (Bhesh Raj Mainali)8. Diaspora and Capacity Building in Higher Education in Nepal: An Entrepreneurial Perspectives. (Dinesh Gajurel and Basu Sharma)9. Nepalese Recruiting Agents for Overseas Higher Education: Issues and Challenges. (Krishna Bista)10. Higher Education: Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal. (Monica L. Lakhwani)Section IV: Important Trends and Changes11. Making the Shifts to Change the System: Implementing Semester System through Pedagogical Training in Tribhuvan University. (Sudha Tripathi, Shyam Sharma and Surendra Subedi)12. Decentralized and Autonomous Higher Education in Nepal: How Nepalese Higher Education Derived These Names and Legitimacy. (Nitya Nanda Timsina)13. Open University of Nepal Initiative: Lessons Learned from Designing an Institution of Higher Learning. (Pramod Dhakal, Drona Rasali, Ambika Adhikari, and Raju Adhikari)Section V: Disciplinary and Social Perspectives 14. Nepal’s Journalism Education in Tertiary Level and the Role of Diaspora Scholars. (Bhanubhakta Acharya)15. A Situated Discourse: How Writing is Defined and Taught in Higher Education in Nepal. (Santosh Khadka)16. Community Colleges and Youth Mobilization: Assessing the 21st Century Workforce Development in Nepal. (Krishna Bista and Uttam Gaulee)Section VI: Paths Forward17. Redesigning Higher Education in Nepal. (Shyam Sharma)18. Privatizing Higher Education of Nepal: Problems and Possibilities. (Bala Raju Nikku) 19. Promising innovations in Teacher Professional Development through the Application of ICTs and Open and Distance Learning. (Ellen Carm)Section VII: Conclusion20. Complexities of Higher Education in Nepal (Rosalind L. Raby, Shyam Sharma, Krishna Bista)Index

Krishna Bista is Associate Professor of Higher Education in the Department of Advanced Studies, Leadership and Policy at Morgan State University, Maryland. His research focuses on college student experiences related to classroom participation, faculty-student relationships, and cross-cultural teachings, and learning strategies in higher education. Dr Bista is the founding editor of the Journal of International Students, a quarterly publication on international education.Rosalind Latiner Raby is a senior lecturer in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies department at the Michael E. Eisner College of Education at California State University, Northridge. She is also the director of a non-profit consortia, California Colleges for International Education that serves the California community colleges. Dr Raby is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education.Shyam Sharma is Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Writing at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Dr Sharma is the editor of the International Journal of Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Higher Education. In addition to having published in a variety of venues about writing in the academic disciplines, cross-cultural rhetoric, and new media in higher education, he contributes a regular column for the Republica about higher education in Nepal.

'A compelling and very timely book, which provides thorough insight into the dilemmas and dynamics of higher education in Nepal. An important contribution to the existing scholarship.' - Karen Valentin, PhD, Associate Professor, Danish School of Education, Aarhus University, Denmark'This well-researched, informative, and timely volume about Nepalese higher education is a rich resource for those involved in comparative education research anywhere in the world.' - Hari P. Koirala, PhD, Distinguished Professor, Eastern Connecticut State University'This is an impressive collection of well-researched chapters on Nepali higher education in a single volume . The sheer diversity of topics and the depth of details found in each chapter provide important insights for researchers and students alike.' - Bal Krishna Sharma, PhD, Assistant Professor of English, University of Idaho'This book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in gaining a larger understanding of the dynamics of the higher education system in Nepal. It delves into the sociopolitical contexts surrounding the nation’s struggle to provide a modern, quality education system by exploring topics including the major issues inhibiting innovative policy and programs and effective approaches to contemporary educational reform.' - Chandra Pokhrel, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Physics, Centenary College of Louisiana'Higher Education in Nepal: Policies and Perspectives is a compilation of unique construction of research on theories and practices in reflecting the outcome conducted within the higher education in Nepal covering a phenomenal aspect related to various issues and trends and therefore offers broader collective meaning, views and perspectives which are intellectually put together in one set of content for the wider readership community.' - Mani Man Singh Rajbhandari, Ph.D, Professor/Researcher, Pontificia Universidad, Catolica del Peru 'A must read. The book provides comprehensive analysis of historical as well as current state of affairs about higher education in Nepal. Each chapter topic provides critical perspectives that should be extremely helpful to policy makers, educators as well as researchers.' - Jeet Joshee, PhD, Associate Vice President, International Education and Global Engagement, California State University, Long Beach'We owe Krishna Bista, Shyam Sharma and Rosalind Raby (co-editors) and the contributors to the Higher Education in Nepal: Policies and Perspective a debt of gratitude. This book features rigorous, timely, and wide-ranging topics that set the stage for a critical dialogue and better understanding of how we got here while addressing the emerging educational issues, changes,and innovations through the lens of social justice. A unique volume relevant for today's educators, scholars, and policy makers.' - Kalyani Rai, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee'The first of its kind, Higher Education in Nepal tells insightful stories of stark realities, hitherto unreported, in Nepalese higher education from multiple perspectives written by Nepalese and foreign scholars in a single volume. The volume provides the first in-depth scholarly discussion of pertinent issues and challenges in higher education in a small developing economy, thus being an indispensable text for researchers interested in higher education in South Asia and developing economies.' - Prithvi N. Shrestha, PhD, Senior Lecturer in English Language, School of Languages and Applied Linguistics, The Open University, UK.'This volume captures key debates about higher education development in Nepal, which, will undoubtedly be a useful resource for educational researchers, policy makers and development practitioners. It is a unique and timely contribution as Nepal is embarking upon a path of development and prosperity in which higher education can play a crucial role.' - Tejendra Pherali, PhD, Associate Professor in Education and International Development, University College London, UK'This book is informative, clear and able to showcase Nepalese higher education. Must read title for everyone in the field.' - Jeet Sapkota, PhD, Assistant Professor of International Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan 'This book asks critical questions about the state of Nepal’s higher education, and how innovative teaching and knowledge production can revitalize Nepal.' -Åshild Kolås,PhD, Research Professor, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Norway'Despite a robust growth in the number of higher education institutions in Nepal in recent times, there has been a dearth of resources that critically look at different dimension related to this field. This volume provides a comprehensive coverage of the issues that need attention in Nepali higher education as it brings some of the most pressing issues that Nepali academia is facing at present. It will certainly open the conversation for further exploration. A highly resourceful book for the students, faculty and researchers interested in the issues of higher education.'- Laxmi Prasad Ojha, Doctoral Student, Minnesota State University, Mankato, USA 'Higher education has played a crucial role in Nepal’s recent political and cultural transformation. This volume comprehensively explores the systemic obstacles to and pedagogical opportunities for quality higher education in the new Nepal as it continues to play that role.' - Tom O’Neill, Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, Brock University, Canada 'This book examines and showcases the impacts of the shifting global dynamics, socio-politics and socio-economics on higher education in Nepal. Although Neoliberalism and it's tenets have always been a dominant ideology in Nepali education, an attempt to deconstruct this dominant discourse is evident in several chapters of this book. However, issues related to economics, social justice and politics persist as do issues related to perceptions about professional development, innovation and academic research. Hence, and as mentioned by authors in this book, the need to re-evaluate issues, dilemmas and perceptions in Nepali higher education and related premises through an unconventional lens is of primary importance.' - Sapna Thapa, EdD, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Stout, USA ‘A must read for anyone interested in contemporary higher education in Nepal, its role in the social transformation of the country, and importantly the challenges it faces.’- Alpa Shah, PhD, Associate Professor, PhD, Department of Anthropology, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK'This timely book provides a wide-ranging discussion of higher education in the rapidly changing context of Nepal. The individual chapters use diverse methodological approaches to highlight important aspects of the history, present, and future of higher education in Nepal; together, they paint a compelling picture of an educational system striving toward excellence and equity. This book will be essential reading for scholars and practitioners interested in higher education in Nepal or in a comparative context.' - Miranda Weinberg, PhD, Visiting Assistant Professor of Linguistics, Swarthmore College, USA

• List of contributorAcknowledgmentsForeword (Sabnam Koirala-Nawaj)Section I: Introduction1. Telling Stories, Generating Perspectives: Local-Global Dynamics in Nepalese Higher education. (Krishna Bista, Shyam Sharma, Rosalind L. Raby)Section II: Socio-economic Contexts and Issues2. Higher Education and Economic Development in Nepal. (Amrit Thapa and Ujjwala Maharjan)3. Progress and Lags in Educational Attainment in Nepal. (Shyam Thapa)4. Understanding Policies, Priorities, and Roles: Higher Education in Nepal at Crossroad. (Suresh Gautam, Prakash C. Bhattarai, and Tanka Nath Sharma)5. Class, Gender, Ethnicity, and Higher Education Choice in Nepal. (Damodar Khanal) 6. Faculty and student experience of earthquakes in Nepal: Crisis management recommendation in Nepalese higher education. (Rajendra Joshi & Herbert Fynewever)Section III: Globalization and Global Issues7. Brain Drain and Higher Education in Nepal. (Bhesh Raj Mainali)8. Diaspora and Capacity Building in Higher Education in Nepal: An Entrepreneurial Perspectives. (Dinesh Gajurel and Basu Sharma)9. Nepalese Recruiting Agents for Overseas Higher Education: Issues and Challenges. (Krishna Bista)10. Higher Education: Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal. (Monica L. Lakhwani)Section IV: Important Trends and Changes11. Making the Shifts to Change the System: Implementing Semester System through Pedagogical Training in Tribhuvan University. (Sudha Tripathi, Shyam Sharma and Surendra Subedi)12. Decentralized and Autonomous Higher Education in Nepal: How Nepalese Higher Education Derived These Names and Legitimacy. (Nitya Nanda Timsina)13. Open University of Nepal Initiative: Lessons Learned from Designing an Institution of Higher Learning. (Pramod Dhakal, Drona Rasali, Ambika Adhikari, and Raju Adhikari)Section V: Disciplinary and Social Perspectives 14. Nepal’s Journalism Education in Tertiary Level and the Role of Diaspora Scholars. (Bhanubhakta Acharya)15. A Situated Discourse: How Writing is Defined and Taught in Higher Education in Nepal. (Santosh Khadka)16. Community Colleges and Youth Mobilization: Assessing the 21st Century Workforce Development in Nepal. (Krishna Bista and Uttam Gaulee)Section VI: Paths Forward17. Redesigning Higher Education in Nepal. (Shyam Sharma)18. Privatizing Higher Education of Nepal: Problems and Possibilities. (Bala Raju Nikku) 19. Promising innovations in Teacher Professional Development through the Application of ICTs and Open and Distance Learning. (Ellen Carm)Section VII: Conclusion20. Complexities of Higher Education in Nepal (Rosalind L. Raby, Shyam Sharma, Krishna Bista)Index