Kathmandu, January 24

The Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC) of the Ministry of Commerce will mobilise the MBA students of Kathmandu University for evidence-based research on export promotion and productive capacity enhancement.

TEPC and Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM) today sealed a deal to provide a six-month-long internship opportunity at TEPC to 10 KUSOM students who are pursuing MBA degree. Apart from getting first-hand practical experience and being involved in activities assigned by the TEPC, the selected students will also receive a stipend of Rs 10,000 per month from the centre.

The signing-in ceremony was held under the presence of Vice Chancellor of Kathmandu University Prof Ram Kantha Makaju Shrestha and Sarad Bickram Rana, executive director of TEPC. Deputy Executive Director of TEPC Suyesh Khanal and Dean of KUSOM, Binod KC had signed the memorandum of understanding.

On the occasion, executive director of TEPC opined that this agreement would provide the graduate students the opportunity to work together with the experienced officers at TEPC, which would provide them an opportunity to put into practical use what they have already studied theoretically in the university. “Likewise, TEPC would also benefit by the utilisation of the graduate students’ knowledge and the latest study results in the university.”

It is expected that the way of doing research and analysis in the trade sector would be used by the interns under the guidance and direction of the TEPC senior officials. It is further expected to provide the feedback for the way out in order to enhance the export trade of Nepal.

During the ceremony, Vice Chancellor of KU Prof Makaju Shrestha said that though it is a small step towards a collaboration of such a kind, it is expected to provide a greater impact in the long run as TEPC works with young and dynamic graduates who are pursuing MBA degree. He emphasised that the collaboration is also expected to shed light on the possibilities of improving the country’s trade scenario sufficiently to overcome the widening trade gap.

He further added that the use of local graduates for the practical hands-on experience to implement trade promotion activities and programmes as envisaged by TEPC would definitely be a good practical learning for the fresh MBA graduates.