The Embassy of Nepal in London, in collaboration with the Britain Nepal Society (BNS), organized a first-ever day-long conference on “Concerns of Nepali Students in the United Kingdom” at the Embassy premises on Thursday, 29 January 2026.

The conference was held against the backdrop of a rapidly growing number of Nepali students pursuing higher education at universities across the United Kingdom. Addressing the event, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Bipin Duwadi expressed satisfaction over the notable academic achievements and valuable experiences gained by Nepali students in UK universities. He also highlighted the various challenges and struggles reported to the Embassy by many students, outlined initiatives undertaken by the Embassy to support them, and emphasized the need for meaningful coordination among key stakeholders. These include parents, education consultancies, universities, community leaders, and the governments of Nepal and the UK.

Chairman of the Britain Nepal Society, Mr. Nick Hinton, said the conference helped build momentum to support students throughout their educational journey in the UK. He noted that BNS stands ready to work closely with the Nepali community and the Embassy by providing relevant information, sharing policy updates, and offering informal support to students in need. He further emphasized that the consensus-based strategies emerging from the discussions, along with agreed follow-up actions, would help Nepali students focus more effectively on achieving academic success.

Mr. Shiva Kumar Sapkota, Joint Secretary and Spokesperson of Nepal’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, addressed the conference virtually and responded to questions from participants. He stated that the Ministry remains open to reviewing laws and regulations related to higher education, monitoring education agencies, and discussing future support mechanisms for students facing crises.

The conference also received virtual addresses from Mr. Diego Moroso, Director of the British Embassy in Kathmandu, and Mr. Rustom Mody, Director of the British Council in Kathmandu. Mr. Moroso underlined that supporting international students is a shared responsibility and stressed the importance of strong coordination and collaboration among stakeholders. Mr. Mody highlighted initiatives undertaken by the British Council to support young Nepali students and reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to working with partners to take meaningful steps in the days ahead.

According to the Embassy of Nepal in London, the conference featured a series of presentations and panel discussions. It concluded by recognizing the importance of building a strong stakeholder community and developing a shared understanding of the challenges faced by Nepali students, along with possible solutions. Participants agreed to establish an online expert forum involving stakeholders, form a multi-stakeholder council to improve coordination and communication, set up a working group to provide policy recommendations to governments, and strengthen both formal and informal support mechanisms for students.

Despite its relatively small population, Nepal is currently the fifth-largest source country of international students in the UK. Over the past five years, more than 60,000 students have received No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from Nepal’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, including around 20,000 students in 2025 alone. In this context, participants emphasized that bringing stakeholders together for sustained and regular dialogue was both timely and necessary.

The conference brought together more than 60 stakeholders and students, including representatives from UK universities and colleges, the UK Home Office, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department for Education, the Britain Nepal Chamber of Commerce, the Centre for Nepal Studies UK, Merging NepSocs, NRNA UK, alumni, professors, education consultants, and media. Officials from Nepal’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the British Embassy and British Council in Kathmandu, also joined the event virtually.

The conference concluded with a shared commitment to continue dialogue and cooperation to better safeguard the interests, well-being, and academic success of Nepali students in the United Kingdom. The event was live-streamed throughout the day to enable wider participation and remote viewing.