Need of the Project

The need for the project arises from the role and institutional strategies of the partner universities in Nepal. Operating nation-wide in Nepal, Tribhuvan University (TU) has a share of 88 per cent of HE student enrolment in Nepal through its main, constituent and affiliated campuses. Consequently, TU has a key role in relation to SSDP and HE reforms. The Faculty of Education (TU-FoE), including the Open and Distance Education Center (TU-ODEC), has a mission to provide flexible training programmes for pre-service and inservice secondary level teachers.

Impact of the Project

The strengthened capacity of HE to enhance equitable access to education through digital learning opportunities and accordingly to provide students with 21st century skills, and thus, to implement the national School Sector Development Plan (SSDP) 2016-2023 and Nepal’s new constitution. Even though Nepal has clearly improved access to education there are still thresholds for enrolment to schools for disadvantaged people and people living in remote areas that include women and ethnic minorities, and people’s transition to higher levels of education. Therefore, it is vital to equip HE with the capacity to provide diversified digital learning opportunities for all. Furthermore, there is a need to improve the quality and relevance of education, and thus, to enhance development of 21st century skills which are needed in ever changing societies globally. The assumption for the impact is that the government of Nepal will continue to prioritize the education sector and its long-term development, as it has done in the past.

Outcome of the project

The goal is to strengthen the capacity of HE to enhance equal access to education through digital learning opportunities. In order to achieve this, the development activities aim to provide students with 21st century skills. These goals also contribute to the national School Sector Development Plan (SSDP) 2016-2023 and are in accordance with Nepal’s new constitution. The outcome of the project are: Output 1: • Newly designed Master’s programed on 21st century pedagogy focusing on digital pedagogy, guidance and counselling, and critical thinking (equivalent to 36 ECTS). Output 2: • A guidance and counselling module. This will include one face-to-face, taught study module and a MOOC designed for teachers and teacher students to support the HRB approach, to promote equity in education, and to prevent dropouts among girls and representatives of excluded communities. (equivalent to two 3 ETCS courses). Output 3: • Increased capacity of TU and NOU to promote integration of ICT and 21st century skills into existing education programmes of all levels of education through workshop and training for educational personnel at provincial and local governments.