Bhutanese Refugees and Higher Education in Nepal

• In Event: Roundtable Session (Wednesday V)
  In Refereed Round-Table Session: Educational developments in Nepal: achievements, challenges and opportunities

Proposal

Generations of Bhutanese refugees of Nepali descent have lived in Nepal’s refugee camps. With limited resources and unable to return to Bhutan, they were dependent on their host nation (Nepal). This empirical research employs a look into social exclusion theory with regards to equitable access and opportunity related to Bhutanese refugees participating in higher education in Nepal. Central concepts include marginalized groups, specifically the refugee population, challenges faced, and overcoming constraints. Qualitative interviews with Bhutanese refugees provide a perspective of socioeconomic challenges, limited possibilities, and lack of opportunities when obtaining a higher education degree from a tertiary institution in Nepal.

Author

• Monica Lakhwani, Jefferson County Public Schools