Kathmandu, Feb 14: Rabindra Puri Foundation for Conservation (R.P. Foundation) and the Kathmandu University (KU) have reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster collaboration in the areas of education and heritage conservation. The MoU was signed by Rabindra Puri, Chairperson of the R.P. Foundation and Prof Dr Manish Pokhrel, Dean of the School of Engineering at KU amid an occasion here.
The agreement outlines key areas of cooperation aimed at promoting academic excellence and heritage conservation.
Under the agreement, KU, established in 1992 under the Kathmandu University Act, will collaborate with the R.P. Foundation, established in 2009, to share resources and facilities.
Particularly, the R.P. Foundation will provide infrastructures and facilities for the field activities of KU’s Civil Engineering and Architecture programs. Additionally, both parties will jointly develop and implement a bachelor’s degree programme in Heritage Conservation and Traditional Building Technology.
The MoU has three year’s term, with provisions for review and termination by mutual consent.
The collaboration aims to leverage the strengths of both institutions to contribute to the academic and cultural landscape of Nepal, said KU.
Following this MoU signing, Puri took to Facebook and expressed his happiness. “One of my biggest dreams has come true today. Signed the MoU with Kathmandu University to start bachelor’s degree in Heritage Conservation.”
Puri pursued up to master’s degree in development policy at Bremen University in Germany and turned to Heritage Conservation during his long-time collaboration with GIZ and many other German Organisations.
He is already running two vocational schools to train skilled workers for Heritage Conservation in Panauti and Bhaktapur with support of the two German Organisations “Schulen fuer Nepal” and “Schuelerhilfe fuer Nepal”. Now, with the support of “Schulen fuer Nepal”, Rabindra is constructing a vocational centre in Panauti where up to 1,000 Students can be trained.
