Foreign vs. Domestic Affiliations: Key Differences in Nepal's College Landscape

Although the directive of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology ideally states that partner foreign universities of local colleges should be ranked within the top 1,000 in globally recognized rankings, only 8 out of 59 meet this criterion in the Times Higher Education global ranking. However, the same directive also allows unranked universities to operate in Nepal through affiliated colleges if they can submit sufficient evidence of quality. As a result, anyone critically examining these colleges would pose the question: Why do we have higher education institutions in Nepal affiliated with foreign universities that are not even well-ranked, respected, or accredited in their own native country? 

Yet, one cannot simply ignore the substantial popularity of these institutions. Many Nepali high school graduates prefer and prioritize them over domestic universities and their affiliated colleges. 

As of August 2025, nearly 30,000 students are enrolled in 59 foreign-affiliated colleges and educational institutions in Nepal, making them the third-largest provider of higher education after Tribhuvan University and Pokhara University. Ironically, even Nepali universities are not highly ranked internationally. For instance, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025 places Tribhuvan University in the 1501+ band, and the QS World University Rankings 2026, which lists more than 1,500 universities worldwide, does not include any Nepali institutions.

Distinct Educational Approaches and Career Trajectories

Before criticizing or prioritizing one over another, it is necessary to understand that the educational philosophies of foreign university-affiliated colleges and Nepali university systems represent a fundamental divergence.

The higher education model of domestic affiliated colleges in Nepal is based on fixed curricula, where students are primarily assessed through written exams that measure theoretical, conceptual, descriptive, and procedural knowledge. Although Nepali universities also conduct research seminars, interactive sessions, industrial tours, presentations, and soft skills workshops, time-bound written examinations remain their hallmark approach for the final student evaluation.

In contrast, foreign university–affiliated colleges adopt technology-integrated assignments, diversified evaluation approaches, group work, hands-on activities, and a case-based analysis approach that encourages students to apply their learning. Students may graduate without ever taking traditional written exams, instead fulfilling requirements through research-based project work.

Similarly, career trajectories and professional choices of graduates from colleges affiliated with foreign universities also differ from those of graduates of Nepali universities. Students at foreign-affiliated colleges are often professionals with full-time jobs, family businesses, or strong social networks who use these programs as part-time learning platforms for their professional and personal growth. Some pursue degrees primarily for certification, while others use them as an alternative option while waiting for visa approval. Graduates of these institutions are more likely to pursue careers in entrepreneurship, the creative industries, digital marketing, and international collaborations.

Meanwhile, graduates of Nepali universities typically aim for stable, full-time employment in public service, state-owned or private banks, and established enterprises. Their preparation aligns closely with the Public Service Commission’s exam system, which favors candidates trained in written-exam–oriented methods.

Nepali Universities vs. Foreign-Affiliated Colleges: Where Are the Differences?

In comparison to the predominantly academic-oriented faculty of Nepali universities, teachers at foreign-affiliated colleges often have professional backgrounds, industry expertise, and multidisciplinary experiences. Some are even active social media influencers, leveraging their digital presence to provide industry-oriented practical learning experiences to their students. Similarly, foreign-affiliated colleges have technology-driven infrastructure, which includes smart classrooms, digital labs, well-equipped learning spaces, and extracurricular facilities. Indeed, Nepali universities also have highly qualified local faculties, but their administrative sluggishness, operational resources, and physical infrastructure remain as points of criticism.

Moreover, foreign-affiliated colleges in Nepal are far more market-oriented than Nepali universities. They actively promote themselves through aggressive marketing campaigns, dynamic college events, and visible public relations activities. More importantly, they cultivate strong linkages with businesses, start-ups, corporates, and entrepreneurial networks, positioning their students in closer proximity to real-world opportunities. However, their market-driven model also leans toward commercialization of higher education, where branding and visibility get prioritized over academic rigor, theoretical depth, and methodological expertise of the students. Besides, as a serious limitation, these colleges mostly focus on popular demand courses related to computer applications, professional design, and management studies without proper institutional roots in basic sciences, engineering, mathematics, and social science knowledge domains.

Here, it is important to note that universities in Nepal have also gradually realized the risk of isolating themselves from the rapidly evolving dynamics of the job market and buzzing entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nepal. In addition, Nepali universities have also been able to preserve their credibility through academic attainments, methodological/procedural proficiency, and professional pathways of their graduates, particularly with their success in public, private, and financial sector jobs. Hence, both foreign and Nepali university-affiliated colleges have their own distinct strengths and limitations, and the choice between them depends less on which is better and more on the career aspirations, learning preferences, and risk tolerance of individual students.

A student’s identity can’t be reduced to institutions

In conclusion, whether a student decides to pursue a degree from a foreign-affiliated college or a Nepali university, their identity should not be defined by limitations such as being lazy or hardworking, or by the prestige, background, or affiliation of their college or university. 

Students are not products of their institutional labels; rather, they are individuals in a democratic country shaping their future through smart work, creativity, analytical thinking, market awareness, innovation, decision-making, problem-solving, entrepreneurship, dedication, and resilience. Therefore, Nepal’s higher education system needs to move beyond the 20th-century paradigm that still values conformity, rote memorization, grades, and institutional prestige. 

More importantly, the higher education system in Nepal needs to become more inclusive, open, equitable, effective, and sustainable. The stakeholders of higher education need to recognize the presence of both institutional diversity and individual differences in academic choices as its strength, not as something threatening, deficient, or detrimental to the existing system.