Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal’s oldest and largest academic institution, has reported a significant improvement in its international standing, highlighted by a major leap in its subject-wise rankings.
During a press meet held on Wednesday, TU officials detailed the university's progress and improvements made across several World University Ranking systems and outlined the efforts undertaken by TU for further upgrading its international status.
Prof. Dr. Deepak Aryal, Vice-Chancellor of TU, stated that to bring significant improvements in the global ranking, the university will increase investment in research, prioritize citations and international collaboration, modernize the teaching environment, increase cooperation with industries, and strengthen its digital presence.
The event revealed that TU holds a place in the 1501+ group in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking this year, while it has secured the 919th position on USNews.com and the 1657th position in the Center for World University Ranking (CWUR). According to CWUR, TU has succeeded in falling within the top 7.8% of universities in the world, which is an improvement from last year's 8.3%. Since prestigious global ranking systems like THE, USNews.com, and CWUR adopt different criteria, the rank of the same university varies. Times Higher Education (THE) focuses on the teaching environment, research quality, industry collaboration, and internationalization; USNews.com focuses on research reputation, publications, conferences, and citation impact; and CWUR bases its ranking on alumni success, faculty distinction, and research.
Prof. Dr. Narayan Prasad Adhikari, Coordinator of the committee formed for World University Ranking and Head of the Central Department of Physics, stated that these different criteria evaluate the multi-dimensional capacity of TU and have helped in identifying areas for improvement.
Prof. Dr. Khadga K.C., Rector of Tribhuvan University, stated that TU's performance in subject-wise ranking is excellent while making remarkable progress in its global image and ranking. He expressed the view that the number of students in TU is continuously increasing, and while it is striving for overall improvement in higher education, some people have even created a wrong narrative regarding the university.
Prof. Dr. Kedar Prasad Rijal, the Registrar of TU, noted that while more students are interested in TU, many Nepalis are still choosing to study at lower-ranked universities abroad. He suggested that the government should stop giving permits (NOCs) to students who want to attend foreign universities that aren't as good as TU.
The event also highlighted that, specifically, in the subject of Medicine (Medicine and Health), TU has maintained the 601st position in the world. This has been proven to be superior to almost all universities in India, except only about half a dozen of the universities there. Through this achievement, TU has also proved that quality medical education is possible within the country.
TU aims to shift its focus from student enrollment numbers to quality-driven metrics, such as research excellence, teaching standards, and social impact. By securing more investment and expanding international partnerships, the university plans to climb global rankings and establish itself as a prestigious institution in the coming years.
TU stakeholders noted that TU's global presence and current ranking clearly demonstrate that the university is on a path of continuous improvement. However, acknowledging the need for further progress in research quality, international competitiveness, and infrastructure, the university expressed its commitment through a press meet to remain focused on constant refinement and quality enhancement.
