The recent leadership and partnership workshop titled ‘Enhancing graduate competencies and employability for the hydropower sector in Nepal’, marked a pivotal moment in Hydro-Himalaya project (HHP)’s efforts to foster a sound cadre of future hydropower engineers in Nepal through its mentorship programme.

As the lead of the mentorship programme, HUC brought together PhD- and masters students along with their respective supervisors from Kathmandu University (KU), Norwegian University for Science and Technology (NTNU), University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), Wuhan University (WHU), and eight mentors in the sector.

During the two-day event (4–5 December 2023), recruitment experts from the region shared critical insights into professional development and employability. Government and private sector representatives also contributed their perspectives.

HHP's mentorship programme

Currently, 22 males and eight female PhD and masters scholarship students are currently enrolled in the HHP mentorship programme. The collaborative efforts of this programme combined with the academic programmes at KU, NTNU, USN, and WHU, are anticipated to enhance the technical and employability strengths of the graduates. The partnership is now poised to facilitate the development of all 30 graduates through a meticulously curated two-year mentorship programme. Eight industry leaders, comprising two women and six men, will guide and support the professional and personal growth within the hydropower and end-use domain.

The workshop oriented students and supervisors to the mentorship programme, introduced mentees to mentors, and facilitated knowledge transfer with the Dean’s office at KU. Incorporating a mix of team-building activities, lectures, and group work, the workshop promoted experience sharing and cohesion among faculty members, researchers, students, mentors, and other stakeholders of HHP.

This approach fostered a culture of collaboration and innovation, with participants expressing that they gained invaluable insights and built stronger connections. These efforts lay the groundwork for a more competent and employable workforce in Nepal’s hydropower sector.

This workshop was held under the Hydro-Himalaya project (2021-2026) funded by NOHRED-II.

Author

Aney Shrestha

Project Coordinator, Hydro-Himalaya Project