UNESCO-ICHEI delegation visited Nepal to deepen digital higher education cooperation in South Asia
2026.05.28
From 20 to 22 May 2026, the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (UNESCO- ICHEI) conducted a working visit to Nepal. The delegation comprised Prof. JIN Li, Director of UNESCO-ICHEI; Ms. BI Xiaohan, Deputy Director of UNESCO-ICHEI; Mr. SIT Fung, Assistant Director and Chief of the Global Partnership and Programme Office; and Mr. ZHANG Boyi, Programme Officer of the Global Partnership and Programme Office. During the visit, the delegation held six bilateral meetings, signed two important cooperation agreements, and engaged in discussions on the digital transformation of higher education and regional collaborative cooperation with representatives from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Tribhuvan University of Nepal, the UNESCO Kathmandu Office, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), among other institutions.
Signing of a bilateral cooperation agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
On 20 May, UNESCO-ICHEI held talks with a delegation from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) and signed a bilateral cooperation agreement on site. The IIT Kharagpur delegation was led by Prof. Suman Chakraborty, Director of the IIT Kharagpur, and included Dr. Kaushal Kumar Bhagat, Head of the Department of Education, Chairperson of the Centre for Teaching Learning and Virtual Skilling, Associate Professor of the Advanced Technology Development Centre; Dr. Manish Pandey, Assistant Professor; and Dr. Vishwanath Shukla, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics.
The two sides held in-depth discussions on topics including the localized implementation of the IIOE Micro-Certification Project in India and cooperation on faculty capacity building, and reached a consensus on jointly expanding the landscape of digital cooperation in higher education across South Asia.
UNESCO-ICHEI and the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur sign a bilateral cooperation agreement
Exploring regional collaboration with the UNESCO Kathmandu Office
On the same day, the UNESCO-ICHEI delegation held a working meeting with the UNESCO Kathmandu Office. Participants from the UNESCO Kathmandu Office included Mr. Jaco du Toit, UNESCO Representative to Nepal and Head of Office; Ms. Ujin Shim, Senior Program Officer; Mr. Dhruba Raj Regmi, Chief of Education; and Ms. Prativa Shrestha, Senior Project Coordinator.
The two sides focused their discussions on the localized expansion of the IIOE Nepal National Centre and project collaboration in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and identified key priorities for the next phase of cooperation.
UNESCO-ICHEI holds a working meeting with the UNESCO Kathmandu Office
Exchange with the Asian Development Bank education specialist on cooperation mechanisms
On the evening of the same day, the UNESCO-ICHEI delegation held a working exchange with Mr. Jian (Jeffrey) Xu, Senior Education Specialist of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The two sides engaged in discussions on feasible pathways and mechanism-building for advancing educational cooperation in Nepal and the broader South Asian region.
SUSTech, Tribhuvan University, and UNESCO-ICHEI signed a trilateral cooperation agreement
On the morning of 21 May, the UNESCO-ICHEI delegation visited Tribhuvan University, the top-ranked university in Nepal, and held talks with Prof. Sushil B. Bajracharya, Vice Chancellor of Tribhuvan University, and Prof. Shankar Khanal, Rector of Tribhuvan University.
During the visit, a trilateral cooperation agreement was signed among Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), UNESCO-ICHEI, and Tribhuvan University. The signing of the agreement laid the foundation for future collaboration in joint talent cultivation, faculty exchange, and the co-development of digital courses.
UNESCO-ICHEI holds talks with Tribhuvan University of Nepal
Prof. JIN Li, Director of UNESCO-ICHEI, signs a trilateral cooperation agreement with Prof. Sushil B. Bajracharya, Vice Chancellor of Tribhuvan University, and Prof. Shankar Khanal, Rector of Tribhuvan University
Courtesy Call on the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Nepal
On the afternoon of 21 May, the UNESCO-ICHEI delegation visited the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nepal and paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. ZHANG Maoming, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Nepal. During the meeting, the UNESCO-ICHEI delegation briefed the Ambassador on the progress of UNESCO-ICHEI’s work in Nepal and exchanged views on the prospects for digital cooperation in higher education in the country.
Prof. Jin Li, Director of UNESCO-ICHEI, with H.E. Mr. ZHANG Maoming, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Nepal
Visit to the Nepal Office of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)
On 22 May, the UNESCO-ICHEI delegation visited the Nepal Office of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and met with Mr. Choong Hee Choi, Deputy Country Director of the KOICA Nepal Office. The two sides introduced their respective work in Nepal’s higher education and explored potential entry points for future collaboration.
UNESCO-ICHEI visits the Nepal Office of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)
This visit marked an important milestone in UNESCO-ICHEI’s continued efforts to deepen regional cooperation in South Asia. Through a series of bilateral meetings and the signing of two cooperation agreements, UNESCO-ICHEI further strengthened its collaborative network with leading universities and multilateral institutions in South Asia, injecting new momentum into the localized implementation of the IIOE ecosystem alliance and the digital transformation of higher education across the South Asian.
