Kathmandu, April 8: The Central Department of Geography, Tribhuvan University has started a collaborative research on households’ adaptive capacity to climate change in South Asia.
This research includes several case studies from different parts in South Asia and aims to bring a synthesised knowledge by integrating both natural and social science perspective that will provide knowledge and policy input to combat climate change at local, national and regional level.

This is important as we have very poor knowledge regarding the exact situation of climate change and its impact to rural livelihood, the Central Department of Geography stated.
In this connection, the Department organised a research briefing workshop on 28 March in Kathmandu.
Research team leader Prof. Prem Sagar Chapagain of the Geography Department highlighted the major issues and activities of the project. He also focused on the outputs and dissemination plan of the findings.

It is learnt that the three years (2022-2024) research project will be carried out by the researchers from Nepal, China, India, Bangladesh and Australia.
The meeting was attended by 70 participants including Chairman of the University Grants Commission, Vice Chancellor of Tribhuvan University, Rector and Registrar of TU, Deans of the faculties and institutes, Directors of research centres and research directorate, Heads of the central departments at TU, professors and researchers.

Prof. Pitambar Sharma, former Vice Chairman of National Planning Commission, also attended the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, TU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Dharma Kant Baskota highlighted the role of university and emphasised to shift from traditional teaching to the research based higher education and commended the exemplary role of Geography Department.

The UGC Chairman Prof. Bhim P. Subedi also highlighted the importance research in higher education.
He emphasised the salient features of the research especially with respect to the issues, its integrated methods, collaborative efforts and multi-country partnership and also expressed the willingness to support from the UGC.

The research is supported by Alliance of International Science Organisations (ANSO), China. ANSO is a non-profit, non-governmental international scientific organisation.
It aims to investigate and address the most urgent regional and global scientific challenges. The Tribhuvan University is one of the founding members of ANSO.

The Central Department of Geography is one of the leading departments of TU. It has MA, MPhil and PhD programs. It has been doing research in collaboration with various universities in China, Japan, Norway, UK, France, Germany, India, and Australia.

Furthermore, it has been doing research with support from various Departments and Ministries of Nepal Government and also with international non-government organisations.