NAST to turn into PhD/Post-PhD institute

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Lalitpur, July 11

After 27 years of establishment, the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) has come up with concrete plans to provide forum for Doctoral and Post-Doctoral researches. It has started hiring the scientists for its new advanced laboratory.

"We have a clear vision to exploit the science and technology for the national interests. That's why we are going to set up a sophisticated research laboratory on its premises soon," said Prof Dr Hom Nath Bhattarai, Vice-Chancellor of the NAST. "The three-storied building of the lab will be completed within six months," he added.

Students of MSc level have been doing thesis at the NAST. Now, we are planning to initiate PhD level research and Post Doctoral fellowship programmes after the completion of the lab, Bhattarai told this daily. "We've just started hiring the scientific manpower for the lab. We will work in coordination with Tribhuvan University and Kathmandu University for researches." "I want to establish the NAST as a doctoral degree awarding institute as in foreign countries," he added.

The National Council for Science and Technology, established in 1976 for making national policies, recommended to institute then Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology. The apex body of science and technology was set up in 1982 in a bid to develop nation through science and technology. It was converted into NAST in 2006.

The NAST Act was introduced in 1992 aiming to meet its goals and objectives of quality and excellence. "It could promote the sector by establishing awards, providing scholarships and fellowships for the scientists contributing to the Nepalese society and country besides imparting knowledge to raise awareness in the schools," said VC Bhattarai. "Researches remained only as the in-house projects."

In the foreign countries, Academy is taken as a concept of forum for scientists remaining away from the government. It became an institutional government body apart from a forum in Nepal, said Prof Bhattarai. "However, we don't have any laboratory at the national level."

Realising this need, the NAST is heading ahead to achieve its goals by establishing the Central Research Lab at the cost of Rs 70 million to strengthen the researches in the country. "Research areas to be included in this phase are biotechnology, natural products (utilization of bio-resources), environment and energy etc," he said.

"The attempts to equip the lab with sophisticated instruments are being made through the government and the donor agencies. The researches will possibly begin from next year," VC said. "Young scientists will be encouraged to do researches here."

Dr Bhattarai was not worried about the fund to establish the high-tech lab. "We must have concrete and convincing proposal and the government will never reject it," he said, recalling former Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai's assurance to provide 1 per cent (Rs 5-6 billion) of the total GDP. Presently, only 0.3 per cent of the GDP is allocated for the sector.