Hawkins, Shrestha Research Potential Nepalese Partnerships

Hawkins, Shrestha Research Potential Nepalese Partnerships

By Dan Silvia, Communications Manager

Dr. Mary Hawkins, President of Bellevue University and Ani Shrestha, Director of Administrative Operations at the University, traveled to Nepal July 2 through July 8 to investigate partnership opportunities within the South Asia nation.

The University has had about 600 students from Nepal over the years including nearly 400 graduates. Hawkins and Shrestha, a native of Nepal, visited the cities of Kathmandu and Pokhara and met with officials from the Himalayan Education Network, Pokhara University, and Tribhuvan University to discover what those organizations might be looking for in a partnership and how Bellevue University might be able to meet those needs.

“We introduced Bellevue University to them and talked about opportunities for a number of things, student exchanges, faculty cooperation, and faculty exchanges. We look at building relationships, not just recruiting students,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins saw some potential to draw in other collaborators including some of the University’s community college partners.

“You’ve got a lot of investment in that area in manufacturing, ag business, ag science, ag tech,” she said. “To start making those connections is intriguing to me.”

The University just completed the first year of its partnership with China’s Guangzhou College of Commerce. Discussion with that school started three or four years ago, Hawkins said, so potential partnerships with the Nepal schools are in their infancy.

“It takes a while to mature a relationship. I think these will produce some neat results,” she said.

Hawkins was interviewed by two television stations and the Himalayan Times.

“The reception and the enthusiasm and the interest in partnering were really strong,” Hawkins said.