Lumbini Buddhist University to Open Affiliated Campus in Butwal:
Lumbini Buddhist University is set to operate its first affiliated campus in Butwal. The 12th University Assembly has decided to open the first affiliated campus. The university, headquartered in Lumbini, held a press conference in Butwal on Tuesday and made public the decision taken by the university assembly.
Dr. Tilak Acharya, Registrar of the University, informed that the City Campus will be brought into operation in Butwal from this academic session as per the decision of the meeting. It will be the first part of the campus, he said, announcing the Senate's decision in Butwal on Tuesday.
With the opening of the affiliated campus in Butwal, the educational programs of the university have been expanding. Until now, the university was confined to Lumbini. The university has a strategy to run Buddhist philosophy in Lumbini, Archaeological Research Center in Kapilvastu, Devadaha, and other educational programs in Ramgram. Humanities subjects will be conducted in the initial phase at the City Campus. Registrar Acharya said that the subject of Buddhist philosophy will be added. At present, law and travel and tourism management subjects are running at the undergraduate level in Butwal.
A meeting chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has decided to make singer Ani Choying Dolma a goodwill ambassador. Registrar Acharya said that Dolma has been made an ambassador for the promotion of the university at the international level.
The assembly has also decided to set up a Vajrayana Study Center in Kathmandu. The university has formulated a long-term strategy to run various educational programs of Buddhist philosophy in four places in the Lumbini region, the Himalayan region, and Kathmandu.
The assembly has decided to present the Lumbini Buddhist University International Pragya Ratna Award of 5,000 dollars each year in honor of a Buddhist scholar. A high-level selection team will select individuals from among Buddhist philosophy scholars.
The assembly has approved 253 posts for the university. A total of 112 posts have been sanctioned for teaching and 141 for administrative staff. It has also approved a budget of Rs. 306 million for the current fiscal year.
Apart from Buddhist philosophy, it is also possible to do a doctorate from a Buddhist university. The assembly has decided to do research on humanities as well. Earlier, it was possible to do a doctorate only in Buddhist philosophy. The number of degrees has increased to 12. The assembly has also passed amendments to the rules and annual reports.
The university, which was established 15 years ago, has been teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels for the last seven years. At present, there are 702 students in the university.
Acharya, the registrar of the university, said that emphasis was laid on building physical infrastructure for educational programs. Announcing the decision of the assembly in Butwal on Tuesday, Acharya said that infrastructure would be constructed on 100 acres of land in Devadaha of Rupandehi soon.
