Kathmandu: The Embassy of Nepal organized a panel discussion and open dialogue titled ‘Nepali Academics in Belgium: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Pathways’ at Nepal House on July 11. Nepali students and researchers studying at various universities across Belgium, including KU Leuven, Ghent University, UBI Business School, University of Antwerp and other higher education institutions, participated in the dialogue.
The Embassy stated that the program, designed in close consultation with the students themselves, aimed to provide a platform for Nepali students and researchers to share their academic experiences, reflect on the difficulties and challenges they face, explore more opportunities for collaboration, networking, and future academic engagement. This interaction program with students was held for the second time, the first edition having taken place on 30 May 2025.
H.E. Sewa Lamsal, Ambassador of Nepal to BENELUX Countries and Head of Mission to the EU, commenced the program with an introductory welcome session outlining the core objectives of the initiative. Ambassador Lamsal engaged with the attendees to learn about their scholarly journeys, highlighting their achievements, opportunities and challenges they encountered.
The panel discussion was moderated by Pushkar Khanal, a researcher at KU Leuven. The panellists included Kamal Devkota and Yagyadi Acharya from KU Leuven and Shrijana Saud from University of Antwerp. The discussion focused on a wide range of issues including how to access and apply for the existing scholarships and fellowships in Belgium, visa related matters, housing options, integration challenges, employment barriers, student’s contribution to Nepal and other prospects. The session underscored the vital need for stronger peer mentorship and collaborative networks. The panel discussion was followed by an interactive question-and-answer session, during which participants actively shared their views and experiences.
Ambassador Lamsal in her closing remarks addressed the issues raised during the discussion and reiterated the Embassy’s commitment to engage actively with the academic community. She also honored Shirjana Saud with a Certificate of Appreciation for receiving the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowship. Jyoti Bhatta from University of Antwerp summarised the program as a rapporteur
The students were encouraged to submit in writing their valuable inputs in addressing the existing challenges and more avenues of such opportunities
Around 25 students attended the discussion. The program concluded with dinner
