Ambassador of the Republic of Korea H.E. Mr. Park Jong-seok , and KU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ram Kantha Makaju Shrestha Mark the Successful Completion of the First Phase of IRDP

Ambassador of the Republic of Korea H.E. Mr. Park Jong-seok, Kathmandu University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ram Kantha Makaju Shrestha, Registrar Prof. Dr. Subodh Sharma, and other Korean and Nepali officials participated in a program on December 18, 2020 at Kathmandu University (KU) in Dhuilikhel to mark the successful completion of the 1st phase of the Integrated Rural Development Program (IRDP). IRDP, which was established in 2016 with funding from Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), is jointly managed by KU, Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), and Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) in South Korea. Its main objective is to improve the lives of rural people in Nepal by strengthening KU’s research and development capacities.

As part of the program, officials from KU, JBNU, and STEPI gave presentations on the project’s accomplishments during the 1st phase, some of which are: completion of IRDP/Nepal Technology Innovation Center (NTIC) master plan; initiation of the construction of KOICA-funded NTIC building (with a total floor area of 3117 sqm.) within KU premises in Dhulikhel; and completion of seven NTIC pilot projects.

IRDP has been working on three thematic areas: Agriculture and Rural Development; Alternative and Renewal Energy, and Health-Related Livelihood.

NTIC, which is a part of IRDP, will be focusing on seven specific areas—Research and Business Development (R&BD), Equipment Testing and Analysis, Smart Health Technology, School-Based Enterprise, Start-Up & Incubation, Training & Education, Technology Database (DB) & Networking—in the 2nd phase, which will start from 2021.

In 2014, KOICA supported the establishment of Kathmandu University Technical Training Center at KU to provide skill-orientation training to under-privileged and unemployed youths in Nepal.

During the program, Prof. Dr. Ram Kantha Makaju Shrestha expressed his gratitude to the government of the Republic of Korea for its support through KOICA, and H.E Park Jong-seok assured that such support to KU will continue in the future.