Kathmandu University (KU) and Southasia Institute for History and Philosophy (SIHP) today signed an agreement to launch Master’s in History and Philosophy programme offered in the three streams of Society, Technology and Environment. The agreement was inked by the Acting Dean of the KU School of Arts, Associate Professor Ekku Maya Pun and Kanak Mani Dixit, Chair of SIHP.

At the signing ceremony, KU Vice Chancellor Professor Bhola Thapa emphasised the importance of quality social science instruction to fill a gap in Nepal’s higher education. He was confident that the Institute’s programme of instruction would be quickly institutionalised, with the support of national and international partners, and that the course offerings would attract students from other parts of Southasia as well.

Registrar at KU, Professor Achyut Wagle said it was important for higher education not only to produce well-trained professionals but also to graduate “committed citizens”, which is what the present collaboration sought to achieve. He was confident that this cooperation would help generate an intellectualism that would benefit both Nepal and the Subcontinent as a whole.

Acting Dean, Pun expressed enthusiasm that the collaboration sought to enhance humanities learning, which would help enrich the academic community as a whole. She said the collaboration would provide students with curricula tailored to Himalayan and Southasian socio-ecological realities and aspirations, to produce competent and socially committed graduates.

SIHP Chair, Dixit expressed gratitude to Kathmandu University for understanding the need to fill a significant gap in higher education, relating to the arts, social sciences and humanities. He was confident that KU-SIHP’s Master's graduates would enrich a variety of fields from academia to state administration, law and justice, media and a variety of professions. Under the able guidance of noted historian Yogesh Raj, Director of SIHP’s academic programme, he said the instruction would be specifically tied to Nepal, the Himalayan region, and Southasia as a whole.

Agreement follows on an MOU signed between KU and SIHP on 24 June 2024. The Master’s programme is planned to launch in February 2025. Details on the curriculum and admission process will soon be available on the websites of the KU School of Arts and SIHP.