Manipal Group is a renowned name in the field of higher education in India. There are three universities operating under Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Manipal University in Udupi, Karnataka, Manipal University, Jaipur, Jaipur, Rajasthan and Manipal University, Gangtok in Sikkim. Thousands of students are studying in various subjects.

Manipal Group also has more than 30 campuses in various cities of India and Dubai. Manipal College of Medical Sciences was established in Pokhara in 1994 in collaboration with Manipal Group. Manipal Pokhara is also the first private medical college in Nepal.

Manipal and Nepal's relationship is not only historical, but also very strong. Manipal Group was first established by Dr. Madhav Anand Pai in 1923. He established a private medical college in 1953. Although it was initially established in a place called Manipal in Karnataka, later Madhav Anand's eldest son Ramdas Pai expanded education outside Manipal. Currently, the leadership of the group is under the shoulders of the third generation of the Pai family Ranjan Pai .

Jaipur is the youngest university under the Manipal Group. Established in 2011, this university currently has 20,000 students on its campus. Nearly 1 lakh students take online classes.

Prof. Dr. Niti Nipun Sharma is the President of Manipal University, Jaipur. He has been associated with the Manipal Group for almost a decade. Sharma, who started his career as a lecturer in 1997, has also worked in various administrative positions. An edited excerpt of an interview with President Sharma for Kantipur Upendraraj Pandey when he recently came to Kathmandu on business: Has the Manipal Group been providing higher education to Nepali students for a long time? How do you view the history of educational relations between Nepal and Manipal?

Dr. Ramdas Pai, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday. He is very close to Nepal. He is also from Manipal in Karnataka, the place where the Bhattas of Pashupatinath originated. Through that relationship, he has built relationships with the heads of government here. He established Manipal College of Medical Sciences, a quality college as a private medical college. It is running very well.

Not only that, he also collaborated with Kathmandu University for engineering education. The relationship between Manipal and Nepal is not only historical, but also very strong. Dr. Ramdas Pai is also credited for forming this relationship. He also played a significant role in establishing Manipal Medical College of Sciences, Pokhara.

What inspired Manipal University, Jaipur to collaborate with Nepali universities and institutions?

Manipal University, Jaipur is the youngest university in the Manipal group. Manipal Jaipur is expanding very rapidly both in terms of student numbers and academic quality. In my opinion, it takes 70/80 years for universities to be fully established, but in 14 years, Manipal Jaipur has come a long way. There are many Nepali students among the foreigners in our university.

Nepali students account for 30 percent of the foreign students. Nepal also has a long and close relationship with Indian universities. That is why we have given priority to Nepal. Good students from Nepal are coming to us. For example, last year, a student settled in the US as soon as she passed out from us. We want to strengthen this relationship.

Recently, an MoU has been signed between Manipal University, Jaipur and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal (ICAN). How will this MoU contribute to the development of higher education and professional skills in Nepal?

Recently, it seems that chartered accountants need to acquire not only knowledge about AI, but also skills. This program is already running in our university. That is why we want to cooperate in this area. This is a program that has both online and offline types. As per our understanding, we give online classes to some and offline classes to some.

It has been said that due to AI, there will be a huge reduction in employment after 10 years. I do not completely agree with this, but I think it will help us. That is why we need knowledge of AI very much. Chartered accountants can use AI effectively if they have knowledge. Accountancy also needs to have knowledge of AI. We have tried to develop the skills of Nepal's chartered accountants.

This is about collaboration with ICAN, how can Manipal University, Jaipur help Nepali educational institutions in skill development and employment?

What we study today may not be useful after 4 years. That is why we have started futuristic programs. Microcredentials like AR/VR, 3D painting, quantum, semiconductor . We have found out what is relevant and necessary for Nepalese students . We have built large labs . We have invested in building 10 centers . We want to work with Nepal on the Center for Disaster Management . 

The world here has gone far beyond the 'exam-based curriculum', even skills that are not in the curriculum are given credit   

Centers like the Center for Biofuel Research will make the skill development of students here useful in the future . This is our thinking . Let's see how far we can go .  We can also work in hydrogen energy . Our university is running an industry-ready hydrogen fuel project . Taiwan is taking this . We have research. Joint research makes a lot of sense in this. Nepal also has talented manpower, we have labs that have already been invested in. So there is a lot of potential to move forward through collaboration. 3D painting increases employment. Prototypes are made first everywhere. Prototypes are made from 3D painting. All industries need 3D painting prototypes.

Has Manipal University, Jaipur made any plans for faculty and student exchange programs with Nepali universities?

This is a basic thing. And also essential. I have also told ICAN to send some teachers to us. Teachers from our university can also come here. We want to collaborate with educational institutions like Tribhuvan and Kathmandu Universities in Nepal.

It is not just us who will approach, but I hope that the universities here will also take the initiative for collaboration . Since we are already Nepali students, we will know what our university is like . Learning is not only one-sided, we also want to learn something from Nepalese universities .

How much do you see the possibility of joint research between Manipal University, Jaipur and Nepali universities in the coming days ?

We have already started this process . I said earlier that we can collaborate in biofuel research and disaster management . A proposal has also been received in disaster management and biofuel research . 

We have collaborated with Pokhara Manipal Medical College for the study of ‘bone sets’ . For this, we have made 3D painting bone sets . And Pokhara Manipal is taking . 3D painting is proving to be very useful for anatomy studies. 3D painting is not only useful for medical purposes, but also for industrial factories.

In Nepal, many universities are still running exam-centric academic courses. How can Manipal University, Jaipur help in ‘Innovation-Driven Academic Culture’?

Recently, Kathmandu University sent a delegation to Jaipur. We are now taking exams on e-pads. Paper is no longer used in exams, no paper-pen. Universities are coming to understand and collaborate with us. Kathmandu University came to understand our examination system. In fact, the old examination system has been eliminated in many universities. Now students are being evaluated on the credit system and innovation.

Their skills are seen in project-based learning. Students are formed into teams. The university also gives money for their projects. For example, if a student creates an app, we give credit. What exactly is knowledge? It is experimentation. We have made innovation, entrepreneurship, and product development credit-based. Many universities still give credit based on the curriculum. For example, a student is asked a question. He is given a 4 out of 5. He passes. But even a student who gets a zero on that question can do very well in life. He can go much higher than getting a 4. The world has moved far beyond the 'exam-based curriculum'. Credit is also given to skills that are not in the curriculum. So, is multi-disciplinary education really necessary to solve the problems seen in society today, including unemployment?

Actually, the boundary of discipline has been broken long ago. Now, if I say I am just a businessman, nothing will happen to me. I have to learn many other things. Multi-discipline has been done long ago. In the West, it has been done long ago. I don't know about Nepal, it has not been done completely in India either. The boundary-loss has already happened, the realization has only recently happened. Biology students should learn electronics.

Multi-discipline should be in all universities. We also have limitations. But everyone should keep in mind what the future holds. We cannot move forward by teaching only what we studied yesterday. This is more applicable to non-technical subjects. That is why we have started major and minor programs. In our college, a Commerce major student is studying AI as a minor. He gets a B.Com with specialization as a minor in AI degree.

Many Nepali youth are looking for a ‘global career’, what can Manipal University, Jaipur do to help Nepali students in international exposure and industry-ready skill development?

We have signed about 150 MoUs with foreign universities. 50 of them are among the top 500 in the US. Our students are going there. GRE and TOEFL are not even required for those going for Masters. We have established a Bloomberg Lab for Commerce students, which has big data related to industries and businesses around the world. Similarly, there are labs for hydrogen and biofuels.

Students coming from Nepal have also got international exposure. Nepali students go to colleges and universities in South India. It is not an option in North India. But now educational institutions like Manipal University, Jaipur University can be an option for them.

Does Manipal Jaipur have any plans to collaborate with Nepali universities in subjects like biotechnology, AI, ML, engineering?

Our collaboration is with Kathmandu University, but more on the administrative and management side. Collaboration in technical matters is yet to happen. We are open to collaboration with Nepali universities.

How far can the educational collaboration between Manipal and Nepal go in the long term? How do you see the future here?

I see a very bright future. In this, we still have to listen to each other. There has to be some coming and going. Then we will know what kind of collaboration can be done. Manipal Jaipur wants to learn and teach a lot from here too. The steps taken by Manipal Jaipur targeting the future have also been started by the universities here . We can collaborate on the issue of climate change . Manipal Jaipur is establishing a Center for Climate Change . For this, joint study and research can yield good results . As Dr. Ramdas Pai said, ‘To set out on a long journey, one must take the first step .’ 

Finally, is there any message for Nepal ?

Nepal is a very important neighboring country for us . Nepali citizens are very close . If Manipal Jaipur needs any help, our doors are open . Whatever help we can provide, we are always ready . Nepalese people are very capable .