Nepal, March 21 -- Universities should have structures dedicated to connecting with their potential partners in the community, government, industries, foundations, and so on

Universities can and should emerge as the forerunners of national development. However, this requires a substantial revisit of our understanding and approach to higher education. Obviously, universities need to respond to changing times. The world today is moving and morphing at a dizzying speed, especially given the rapid changes in technology and communication. The boundaries between disciplines are blurring and new fields are emerging before our eyes.

Terms that were unknown even a decade ago are now buzz words. Everything is changing: the way we study; the way w...