Southwestern Centre for Research and PhD Studies (PhD Centre) was set up in 2010 as part of the endeavours of nationally and internationally recognized scholars, researchers, intellectuals and development experts, who will constitute its faculty with a commitment to reconstruct and socially transform society in Nepal and thereby around the world through academic and development endeavours built on the long journey of rural reconstruction. Since its inception, the Centre has been actively engaged in connecting researchers globally through joint research, conferences/workshops on burning issues, training, publishing journal articles, and networking/partnering with various universities (both national and international), government agencies, and other development agencies
One of the major aims of the Centre is to fulfil the country’s need of qualified and competent PhD graduates. The Centre motivates PhD scholars from Nepal and abroad to pursue their study. As the Centre has close formal connections with Universities across the globe, it is connecting scholars to recognized/renowned universities. The Centre has created learning environment for scholars to continue their academic activities in their respective areas and has facilitated to fulfil the Universities requirements and timeline. The Centre is neither a funding nor a university branch; it rather encourages potential and registered candidates and coachesthem through suitable research and other training programmes. The Centre provides quality support to the PhD scholars through peer and mentor support. It also supports individuals to become professionals or leaders in their respective disciplines. It follows philosophy of adult learning approach. The Centre coachesits scholars on identifying topic and developing concept, synopsis, conceptual framework, and finalization of thesis. The Centre also provides support to develop article, book and thesis as per the requirements.
PhD Centre contributes to critical thinking to provide innovative solutions for various agencies actively involved in development by teaching, learning, research and interventions with emerging ideas that shape academia and policy discourse around the globe. It recognizes that while there are so many organizations involved in the development processes, there is an inadequate discussion to re-shape development discourse guided by emerging research-based findings. Hence development should be a part of ongoing discourse to address global issues when we have sprawling urbanization, alarming pollution, climate change with an adverse impact on the distribution of development dividends.