Amardeep Mandal
A young energetic and dedicated academician –Amardeep Mandal- is an ever growing personality, especially in promotion and marketing of education in Nepal. His innovativeideas in promoting Nepalese education can easily inspirestudents. Having started the academic professional career from the British College, currently he is working at NAMI as Senior Marketing Manager.
Mr. Mandal is familiar with growing significance of international qualifications being delivered in Nepal. College Readers seized a moment to discuss the present status of colleges in Nepal that offer international degrees. Excerpts:
Since you’ve gained a long experience of marketing in academic sector, how is the present status of education in Nepal?
I believe a lot of changes are required. Only a handful of colleges are giving priority to practical implementation of pedagogies. But inforeign countries, students are prepared for immediate implementation of theory knowledge they gain in the classroom.
The colleges affiliated to foreign Universities have improvised a separate marketing department, but this provision is rare at National University affiliated colleges in Nepal. Why is it so?
Marketing department is vital these days as it’s important for colleges to engage with prospective students. Marketing is a tool to keep the conversation going. It promotes the brands of a college.In addition; it adheres to long-term sustainability of college.
One of the few reasons to have dedicated Marketing Department in international colleges is they recruit high volume of students and also they have twice intake a year. The entire marketing team can focus on enrollment during the admission sessions. In my opinion, it’s good to have such departments as other members can equally focus on delivering quality education.Having marketing department build brands, boost admissions and help established good connections between prospective students and their guardian.
Most importantly, admissions process also differs than the local universities in Nepal.
What differences have you found in quality assurance between the colleges affiliated to international Universities and Nepalese Universities?
Colleges, which are affiliated to foreign Universities, maintain international standards in education impartation and evaluation system since approval of lecturers is done by the concerned university.Moreover, workshops, seminars and skill-enhancing training are of high priorities of such colleges.On contrary, colleges affiliated to Nepalese Universities give least priority to practical implementation of transferred knowledge. Therefore, the graduates prepared by foreign university affiliated colleges are more competitive and globally employable. More importantly, students can transfer their course credits to major countries if they are to migrate from one place to another.
It is alleged that the fee structures at colleges affiliated to international Universities in Nepal are more expensive than that of the colleges affiliated to Nepalese Universities for the same programs. How do you analyze this predicament?
As per Ministry of Education, there are around 118 colleges in Nepal which are affiliated to various international universities including A Levels. Our college awards British degree to students. The evaluation/ assessments are done by the respective University. Each affiliated college has to send University associated fees abroad. So, it seems more expensive than that of Nepalese University affiliates, but it is not as expensive as the general public assume.
It is found that courses of bachelor level of foreign affiliation are of both three years and four years; however, Nepalese Universities have the same program for four years only.What effects does it have for equivalency between a Nepalese degree and an international degree?
In international practice, an academic year is not taken as a major part for equivalency. The main base of equivalency is calculated on course credit hours. If students have completed relevant credit hours, s/he is eligible for studying master’s degree. So, the course tenure has nothing to do with the course equivalency.
In Nepal, students opting international degree must refer to Tribhuvan University for degree equivalency.
In your opinion, why students should pursue an international course in Nepal?
International universities update their curriculum by analyzing need and demand of the global market. Moreover, students are trained for risk taking capacity and practical implementation of transferred knowledge. This enhances the confidence and capabilityof students. International degree also opens the doors of opportunities globally.
What suggestions would you like to give to students who are in dilemmatic situation amid a range of subjects and colleges in Nepal for their higher degree?
The colleges, which are affiliated to international universities, primarily focus on skill- development and confidence-building of students. Here are few tips in finding the best college and a degree:-
- Visit and explore up to 10 colleges
- Choose the course you enjoy studying
- Interview your lecturers (before they interview you)
- Find out more about the course and lecturers
- Find out about the placements opportunity
- Consider Locations
- Consider Scholarships opportunities
- Ministry of education (MoE) approval and Tribhuvan University (TU) recognition
