Number of Nepali students reach highest in US

Nepalis are the fifth largest foreign community to receive H-1B visa to the US between 2012 and May this year. "The number of Nepali students studying in the US has increased by 14.3 per cent over the prior year," according to a report.
The '2018 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange' data released by IIE and the US Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the number of Nepali students in the US has once again posted the highest growth among the top 25 sending countries, and increased to a record level, totaling 13,270, the third year in a row to see growth. "Nepal now ranks 10th among the top 25 for undergraduate students in the US," the report reads. "Six years ago, Nepali community was the 13th largest foreign community to get the employment visa to the US."
India with 101,211 recipients is the largest foreign community to receive H-1B visa, followed by China, South Korea and Taiwan. "International students studying alongside Americans are a tremendous asset to the US," assistant secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce said, adding that they need to develop leaders in all fields who can take on the toughest challenges. "We need people who can find solutions that keep us secure and make us more prosperous. We want to send a message that international education makes us stronger as a country."
In the 2017-2018 academic year, for the third consecutive year, the US colleges and universities hosted more than one million international students, reaching a record, of 1.09 million students. It said there was 20 per cent increase of Nepali students enrolled in the US higher education institutions in 2017, taking the size of total Nepali students to 11,607. Though the enrollment data put Nepali students at 13th position, their growth was the highest among foreign students.
It also marks the twelfth consecutive year of continued expansion. The number of Americans studying in Nepal has also significantly increased – by 57 per cent – compared to the previous year. "We believe, institutional collaboration and student exchange programs have played a vital role in stimulating growth over the past two years."
The Open Doors Report also marks the celebration of International Education Week (IEW) from November 12- 16, a joint initiative of the US Department of State and the US Department of Education, designed to attract future leaders from other countries to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the US. In support of IEW 2018, the US Embassy in Nepal’s partner organisations, The United States Educational Foundation Nepal (USEF), EducationUSA Reference Center Learning House, and American Center will host ‘Get Inspired’ programmes featuring Nepali alumni of US universities, student visa sessions by Embassy’s Consular officers, trivia, host webinars an online college fair and other activities to discuss and promote US higher education and career options for Nepali students.
According to Education Ministry of, some 2,485 students acquired No Objection Certificates to study in the US which is fourth highest after India, Australia and Japan.

Call for national strategy to protect IPR

Law enforcement agencies' apathy has recently killed two people and some more have been blinded. The market is flooded with fake drugs but law enforcement agencies have no clue as to the protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), experts said here today.
Speaking at the 'National Workshop on Intellectual Property Strategy for Nepal' organised by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and supported by the American embassy and Microsoft, they blamed lack of awareness among stakeholders and consumers, lackadaisical approach of law enforcement agencies and lack of strict and up-to-date legal provisions to tackle such incidents that are becoming more frequent. "Law enforcement angencies should be trained in IPR as it's a technical issue," opined the experts.
"Though there are some acts -- like Copyright Act -- to protect manufacturers' and consumers' rights, these need reform," said Supreme Court registrar Dr Ram Krishna Timilsina.
He added that the present law was not strong enough to punish those involved in churning out fake products and causing irreversible damage to others. "Policy intervention is a must in such cases to protect the rights of consumers and the manufacturers," Timilsina added.
FNCCI president Kush Kumar Joshi said Nepal was lagging behind in the implementation of IPR. "Industries are hit hard due to lack of a proper and prompt action plan," he said.
Nepali IP laws need harmonisation in accordance with international laws and World Trade Organsiation (WTO) policy for preparing a national strategy to crack down on fake and pirated products.
"If IPR is properly monitored, Nepal's indigenous industries can be protected," said Randy Berry, Charge D' Affairs at the American embassy in Kathmandu. He also voiced serious concern over the fake medicines flooding in the market saying that these could cause a huge loss of human lives. "Around 60 per cent of the medicines in the domestic market is fake," he said adding that if IPR was properly addressed, health and education -- basic human rights -- could be protected.
Today's national workshop is a follow-up of last year's Global Intellectual Property Rights Academy's conference that was held in May 2008. The workshop today formed a draft of a National Action Plan to protect IPR -- creations of the mind, inventions, literary and artistic works, scientific works, symbols, names and images used in the industry, commerce and communication sectors.
"There are various issues involved in IP, like copyright, patent and trademarks," said Birat Thapa, chairman of the ICT Development Unit of FNCCI. Participants were of the view that awareness, enforcement and legislation are essential to the protection of IPR.