14th August 2023, Kathmandu
In a significant move towards enhancing technical and vocational education, Kathmandu University (KU) and Dr. Bikash Adhikari Establish Safety Center sealed an endowment agreement on August 13, 2023, establishing the “Dr. Bikash Adhikari Endowment Fund.”
The ceremony took place at the Senate Hall of the CV Raman Auditorium, symbolizing the university’s commitment to progress and innovation.
Dr. Bikash Adhikari, a trailblazer in the realm of technical education, spearheaded the successful EVENT II JMT project. As a result of this achievement, the “Dr. Bikash Adhikari Endowment Fund” was born, fueled by the surplus revenue and unused resources from the aforementioned project. With a total initial fund of NPR 20 million (Rs. 2,00,00,000), this endowment fund is poised to catalyze a transformation in technical education.
The EVENT project, funded by the esteemed World Bank, aimed to reshape Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) through result-based funding. Collaborating closely with the project, KU played a pivotal role by conducting joint monitoring tasks. These tasks encompassed on-the-ground monitoring, data gathering, and report generation. This rigorous approach ensured the efficacy of short-term technical and vocational training programs and professional training with on-the-job components, categorized as level 2 training.
Dr. Bikash Adhikari Establish Safety Center
The prime objective of the “Dr. Bikash Adhikari Endowment Fund” is to establish the Center for Environmental Safeguards and Occupational Safety (CESOS) within Kathmandu University. This center will emerge as a beacon of occupational safety and health, disseminating knowledge and empowering professionals and organizations to foster secure and salubrious workplaces. The fund’s annual proceeds will also be allocated towards the advancement and elevation of human resources in Technical and Vocational Education/Training, elevating them to university-level skill-based education.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Bikash Adhikari shed light on the accomplishments of the EVENT II JMT Project and the rationale behind establishing the endowment fund.
He expressed gratitude to the dedicated staff and students who contributed tirelessly to the project’s triumph. In his closing address, KU’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Bhola Thapa, emphasized the significance of endowment funds in shielding the university against external economic fluctuations. Prof. Dr. Thapa encouraged the university community to actively engage in further harnessing the potential of the endowment fund.
The agreement signing, a historic moment, took place in the presence of Prof. Dr. Bhola Thapa, the Vice Chancellor of KU, alongside Deans from the School of Science and School of Engineering, and other esteemed university officials. Prof. Dr. Thapa hailed the newfound endowment fund’s alignment with the university’s core mission of advancing technical education and fostering a skilled workforce.
He expressed optimism about CESOS evolving into a pivotal institution imparting crucial occupational safety awareness to migrant workers, ultimately minimizing fatalities and accidents in this demographic.
This collaboration between Kathmandu University and Dr. Bikash Adhikari marks a significant stride in Nepal’s technical education landscape, poised to yield lasting benefits for generations to come.
