Dhulikhel (Kavrepalanchowk): Former Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai emphasized that countries achieving higher levels of progress through economic prosperity had first undergone a political revolution.

Speaking at an academia-industry gathering hosted by Kathmandu University in Dhulikhel on Friday, Dr. Bhattarai noted that Nepal's economic development agendas had been hindered when the political revolution did not take the right course.

He urged the new generation to channel their efforts into creativity rather than engaging in the criticism of political workers and party leaders. Dr. Bhattarai identified the instability of the political and democratic system as the main obstacle to Nepal's development, asserting that democratic stability is crucial in the globalized context of capital, technology, and labor.

Former Finance Minister Surendra Pandey highlighted the education sector as the largest industry in Nepal, emphasizing the need to establish academic institutions to drive progress and increase the education sector budget. He recommended that universities actively expand their market reach while enhancing their existing quality.

Kathmandu University's Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Bhola Thapa underscored the importance of changing the tendency of putting pressure on student admission. He called for collaboration among educational institutions, industry, and the government to create jobs, steering the country toward prosperity.

Vice-Chairperson of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Surkrishna Baidhya, commented on the country's inability to move toward economic revolution due to policy problems. He argued that economic revolution without industrial revolution is not possible, urging the promotion of the industrial sector and the boosting of industrialists' confidence.

Kathmandu University's Registrar Prof. Dr. Achyut Wagle stressed the need for political parties to incorporate the idea of academia-industry collaboration emphatically into their manifestoes. Director-General of the Department of Industry, Baburam Gautam, shared that the ministry was considering measures such as software development, e-commerce-related policy, and drafting other laws for reforms in the industrial sector.

Coordinator of Kathmandu University's Department of Academia-Industry Collaboration, Dr. Ram Lama, revealed that the university has implemented special research and innovation programs in technology, green energy, and employment promotion.