Reetal Rana
Founder, Principal
Mid-Valley Int’l College
Having gained a long working experience as Vice Principal at Galaxy Public School, Reetal Rana enthusiastically embarked on academic field. She is a young and energetic leader who is compassionate about imparting world-class education encapsulating latest trends in the education delivery. She is the Principal at Mid-Valley Int’l College, affiliated to Help University, Malaysia. The college is currently running Bachelor of Business (Hospitality Management) Hons.
Ms Rana met Dr. Paul Chand Tuck, the CEO of Help University while in Malaysia. She was impressed with the education system of that university and wanted to run hotel management program in Nepal with its accreditation. Her motivation turned into the establishment of Mid-Valley Int’l College. She adds that the program of Hospitality Management is totally different from the hotel management courses run by other Universities and domestic Universities in Nepal. Its main difference is that students are taught both hospitality and management education and the tutoring is practice-based. Excerption:
What are the distinct features of Bachelor of Business Hospitality Management?
Bachelor of business hospitality management is an applied course in hospitality management sector. The program provides technical knowledge to the graduates to be entrepreneurs. It provides knowledge and skills of business management in hospitality sector. Mid Valley College is the first college in Nepal to run bachelor in Business Hospitality Management programs. The course is designed in such a way that produces human resources required for hospitality sector.
How is the scope of BBHM course in Nepal?
It is quite a new course in the context of Nepal. It produces human resources to run a business in hospitality and management. The course produces entrepreneurs, particularly in hospitality sector. Nepal is a fertile land from the perspective of tourism and hospitality sector, so, the prospects of tourism are very high in Nepal. This is the crucial reason why this sector requires a huge number of human resources related to it. Upon the completion of the course, most graduates can identify their matching jobs in the market. In this regard, the scope of this course is not only limited in Kathmandu valley, it is spread throughout the country.
Domestic Universities of Nepal offer BHM program. What are the differences between BHM and BBHM programs?
BHM and BBHM are both related to tourism and hospitality sector. Both the programs have scope in their own field. The BHM is a general course while the BBHM is a specific course which serves the knowledge and skill relating to hospitality sector in depth. The graduates have high demand in the global market in term of job opportunities. But, while analyzing the long term scope, graduates of BBHM can be job creators since the course motivates them to be entrepreneurs. In terms of job landing sector, the BBHM graduates are scarce in the market. So, the job itself searches for them, they shouldn’t seek the job. While analyzing the scope globally in terms of job landing sector and entrepreneurship, it has more scopes in Nepal than in other countries.
You have been involved in IPAN. Could you give a short description of IPAN?
It is the umbrella organization of international education provider institutions. Most foreign University affiliated colleges are its members. The organization works for the security of foreign University affiliated colleges in Nepal. It deals and negotiates with the government regarding the issue of credible and trust-worthy policy for establishing and expanding such colleges across the country. It also works for making the government responsible for monitoring foreign University affiliated colleges for quality assurance. We are committed to providing globally acclaimed education and the government should create an amicable environment for it. Similarly, the institution has the government know the contributions of foreign University affiliated colleges to national education policy. In other words, IPAN works for systematizing the academic activities of foreign University affiliated colleges in Nepal.
It is alleged that foreign University affiliated colleges in Nepal are not able to impart quality education. How is your view on this issue? In your opinion, what are the criteria to measure the quality of education?
In my opinion, generalizing the quality that foreign University affiliated colleges impart in Nepal is not justifiable. There may be some colleges that fail to impart quality education, but most colleges like ours have been successfully imparting international standard quality education. In my opinion, quality education should be measured on the basis of its curriculum, teaching pedagogy, and the standard of the particular institution. Foreign University affiliated colleges have been offering updated, revised and market demanded course since the foreign University prepares and revises the curricula in collaboration with industries. The University collaborates with the industry while preparing and updating curricula by analyzing the demand of the market in the course of time. If human resources produced by the University are able to adjust themselves in the market and can perform properly, it is considered that the college has the flagship of quality education. In fact, quality is measured by testing the produced human resources in the market. Similarly, quality can be measured on the basis on evaluation system. Foreign Universities give focus on practical orientation and assessment. Our exam system is monitored and conducted by the University itself. It evaluates our students and awards them certificates.
There is trend of going to foreign countries after ten-plus-two level in search of quality education. What suggestions would you like to give to students as a member of IEPAN and the founder of Mid Valley Int’l College?
In the present context, students have right to grab a wealth of opportunities globally. But all students cannot embark on foreign studies due to financial crisis. So, Mid Valley College always welcomes ten-plus-two graduates to obtain internationally acclaimed education at affordable fee structure. The HELP University monitors and conducts the exams and students are evaluated by the University itself. So, Mid Valley College has maintained a trust-worthy environment for international standard quality education in Nepal.
We lack the proper support of the government due to lack of consistency in policy. So, I suggest that the government create trust-worthy environment by preparing clear and sustainable policies regarding domestic institution which receive foreign accreditation.
