Lumbini Buddhist University and Siddhartha Institute of Hospitality, under the Siddhartha Business Group of Hospitality, have signed an agreement to provide Bachelor in Hospitality and Tourism Management (BHTM) students with both theoretical and practical knowledge in Buddhist philosophy, alongside opportunities to study and earn simultaneously.
At the signing event, the Vice-Chancellor of Lumbini Buddhist University, Prof. Dr. Subarna Lal Bajracharya, expressed his satisfaction with the partnership, which aims to foster academic excellence and produce skilled professionals in the hospitality and tourism sectors. He highlighted that this collaboration would benefit the broader business community by generating competent human resources.
Prof. Dr. Bajracharya emphasized the importance of producing skilled manpower within Nepal, especially as many students seek higher education abroad. He expressed confidence that the study-and-earn model provided through this partnership would help retain students within the country.
The four-year BHTM course will begin with students gaining foundational knowledge in Buddhist philosophy and hotel management during the first semester. From the second semester onwards, students will have the opportunity to earn money while continuing their studies, according to Siddhartha Business Group CEO Krishna Prasad Neupane. The course also includes tourism management as part of the curriculum.
“Our goal is to ensure that students can recover most of their educational expenses by the time they complete the course,” Neupane stated. “Students will be able to gain practical experience and earn money by working at various hotels, resorts, and cafes under Siddhartha Hospitality.”
Dr. Shriprasad Bhattarai, Chair of the University’s Tourism and Hospitality Committee, mentioned that the course is designed to offer effective learning and assessment across knowledge, skills, and behavior. “We are starting this course with 40 students, aiming to produce skilled manpower for the hospitality sector and keep them within Nepal,” he added.
To assist students with financial challenges, the program will facilitate bank loans for tuition fees, which can be repaid in installments using the income earned during their studies, CEO Neupane explained. “Credit hours will be calculated based on students’ involvement in practical classes, and additional working hours will allow them to earn more,” he said.
The agreement was signed in Kathmandu by Prof. Dr. Harisharan Chankhu, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Lumbini Buddhist University, and Chintamani Neupane, President of Siddhartha Business Group.
Prof. Dr. Chankhu expressed his happiness in partnering with Siddhartha, a popular brand in Nepal’s hospitality sector, noting that the collaboration was highly valued due to Siddhartha’s international quality standards, chain hotels, and five-star facilities.
The signing ceremony was attended by university officials, professors, senior staff, and representatives from Siddhartha Business Group, including President Chintamani Neupane, Vice-President Krishna Prasad Bhandari, General Secretary Muktiram Bhandari, and CEO Krishna Prasad Neupane.
