The 12th International Joint Conference on Convergence (IJCC 2026) was successfully held in Kathmandu, organized by Kathmandu Model College (KMC) in Bagbazar. The event featured notable participation from professors, researchers, and academics from Nepal, South Korea, and other partner countries. The organizers stated that the conference strengthened international educational cooperation, innovation, and multidisciplinary research.
The opening and closing sessions were chaired by Prof. Yong-Seon Jang, the President of VIDAK and the conference chair for IJCC 2026. The opening session took place under the chief patronage of Prof. Dr. Deepak Aryal, Vice-Chancellor of Tribhuvan University. In his opening remarks, Prof. Jang emphasized how the exchange of knowledge, technology, and culture can help address global challenges.
The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Dr. Subarna Shakya from Tribhuvan University, Pulchowk Campus, focusing on the role of artificial intelligence in transforming IT-based governance systems. Additionally, Prof. Yeonhee Kim from Hoseo University in South Korea presented a special seminar titled "Semiconductor Packaging and the Age of Artificial Intelligence." A cultural dance performed by undergraduate students at KMC showcased Nepali culture on the international stage.
During the conference, several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed to enhance academic and research cooperation between institutions. These included partnerships with the AI Society of Korea, the Korean Academy of Hot Spring, Dankook University, Soonchunhyang University, Kathmandu Model College, MIT, and Nepal Open University. A total of 80 research papers were presented in both poster and technical sessions, covering multidisciplinary topics such as artificial intelligence, information technology, e-governance, education, management, social sciences, and philosophy.
The closing ceremony featured congratulatory remarks from Prof. Surendra Shrestha, Acting Registrar of Nepal Open University, who emphasized the importance of such conferences in expanding collaboration between open and traditional universities. Suren Suvedi, College Chief of KMC and the Organizing Chair of IJCC 2026, expressed his commitment to organizing future international platforms to establish KMC as a center of knowledge and innovation. Certificates and honors were awarded to outstanding paper presenters, session chairs, organizing committee members, volunteers, and participants. The formal opening and closing sessions were conducted by Dhurba Prasad Timalsina, Head of Internal Quality Assurance at KMC.
