From Appalachia to the Himalayas: New Agreement Connects Kentucky and Nepal for a More Sustainable Future
麻豆直播 and Nepal's Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to foster academic collaboration, research partnerships, and faculty and student exchange programs between the two institutions.
The MOU was signed during a visit by a Kentucky State delegation to AFU's main campus in Rampur, Chitwan, as part of the "Nepal Experiential Learning Program.鈥� The trip focused on enhancing international academic partnerships and promoting sustainable development through cross-cultural and interdisciplinary learning.
Along with 10 undergraduate students from various academic disciplines, the group included Kentucky State President Dr. Koffi C. Akakpo; Dr. Buddhi Gyawali, the project鈥檚 director and professor of geospatial applications and environmental studies; Dr. Maheteme Gebremedhin, chair of the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources; and Dr. Suraj Upadhaya, assistant professor of sustainable systems.
"The sky's the limit," Dr. Akakpo remarked about the growing partnership. "Importantly, this collaboration strengthens our commitment to global education and development, building on the number of our own faculty, like Dr. Gyawali and Dr. Upadhaya, who are originally from Nepal."
Enthusiasm at AFU was mutual. "We're very grateful to sign this MOU with Kentucky State University and are excited for the future ahead," said Vice Chancellor Dr. Sarada Thapaliya during the signing ceremony.
According to Dr. Puskar Pal, AFU鈥檚 registrar, the partnership will strengthen common values. "Both universities have a unified mission in teaching, research, and extension,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his collaboration will help cultivate the next generation of skilled professionals in agriculture and natural resource management."
By sharing expertise from each region, both universities aim to develop innovative solutions and train future leaders in natural resource management that will address global sustainability challenges. "We already have faculty and students of Nepali origin eager to develop collaborative projects," Dr. Gyawali noted.
For instance, Dr. Upadhaya is already at work on a credit-qualified study abroad program funded by the U.S. Department of State's IDEAS Program.
"This collaboration will support a study abroad program offering students valuable cross-cultural and academic experiences," he explained. "It will also create opportunities for faculty to research high-altitude ecology, an area of shared importance, as both regions face similar environmental challenges."
Related projects will mark a significant step toward establishing a global academic network focused on shared commitments to academic exchange, capacity building, collaborative research, and joint proposal development to solve real-world challenges.
Funding for the trip came from the USDA NextGen project, formally titled "Generating and Sustaining the Next Generation of the Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Human Sciences Workforce through International Experiential Learning, Outreach and Engagement." This collaborative grant (USDA Award # 2023-70440-40145) involved Kentucky State University, the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Florida A&M University, and Southern University.