H
Higher Education Systems
and Institutions, Bhutan
Sungsup Ra and Shanti Jagannathan
Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines
Development of the Higher Education
System in Bhutan
A constitutional monarchy nestled in the Himala-
yan mountain range, the Kingdom of Bhutan has a
population of about 0.78 million (National Statis-
tics Bureau 2017). The country is renowned for
adopting the unique development philosophy of
the “Gross National Happiness,” which offers an
alternative paradigm for the development and col-
lective well-being of its citizens. Using this to
shape its economic and social policies and inter-
ventions, the Kingdom of Bhutan has been pro-
moting holistic and sustainable development,
going beyond just economic development.
A monastic education system was the domi-
nant system in Bhutan till the late 1950s, after
which government and private schools began to
offer secular school education. Secular higher
education is even more recent. It is only in 1983
that the Sherubtse Junior College was upgraded
into an undergraduate degree college, to offer the
first secular higher education courses of study in
Bhutan. The university system in the country is
very young – the country got its first university as
recently as 2003 with the establishment of the
# Springer Nature B.V. 2018
J. C. Shin, P. Teixeira (eds.), Encyclopedia of International Higher Education Systems and Institutions,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9553-1_583-1
Royal University of Bhutan (RUB), with nine
constituent colleges and institutions under it. In
addition, there are two affiliated private colleges
under RUB.
Until the establishment of RUB, higher educa-
tion institutions mostly offered only those courses
that catered to the requirement of government
ministries, focusing mostly on imparting technical
and professional training to existing government
staff. In other cases, higher education institutions
were affiliated to the University of Delhi in India
(Schofield 2016). The setting up of RUB paved
the way for a broader approach to developing
tertiary education in the country. The Strategic
Plan 2013–2020 of the Royal University of Bhu-
tan reinforces the goal of providing relevant edu-
cation and training to the increasing number of
high school graduates towards building a knowl-
edge economy (RUB 2012).
The Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sci-
ences of Bhutan (KGUMSB) was established in
2015 as a medical university through an act of
parliament by the Royal Government of Bhutan.
A few institutions are now under the jurisdiction
of the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sci-
ences of Bhutan.
The first private college was established in
2009. Currently, there are three private sector-
managed tertiary education institutions in Bhutan,
namely, the Royal Thimphu College (RTC),
Norbuling Rigter College (NRC), and Reldri
Academy of Health Sciences (RAHS). The
Royal Institute of Management and the Jigme
2 Higher Education Systems and Institutions, Bhutan
Singye Wangchuck School of Law are autono-
mous institutions established under the Royal
Charter.
Although the tertiary education system is very
young, the pace of growth in tertiary enrollments
has been very robust. The gross enrollment ratio
(GER) for tertiary education of Bhutanese stu-
dents, combined for study within Bhutan and out-
side, was 24.44% in 2017. GER for tertiary
education within Bhutan was 16.14%, (MOE
2017a) increasing from 6.3% in 2008 (UIS 2018).
Under the auspices of the two universities,
there are 13 constituent colleges/institutes and
3 affiliated colleges/institutes. Tables 1 and 2 sum-
marize enrollments and streams of study by qual-
ification level during 2017.
Governance of the Higher Education
System
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is responsible
for promoting and regulating the overall develop-
ment of all streams of education within the coun-
try, across public and private sectors. The
Department of Adult and Higher Education
(DAHE), established in 2003 under the MOE, is
mandated to promote and regulate tertiary educa-
tion in Bhutan.
Since 2003 when RUB was established, the
tertiary education system in Bhutan has under-
gone significant transformation. The government
has put in place quality assurance mechanisms
and regulatory boards to restructure tertiary edu-
cation and align it to international standards
(Education Sector Review Commission 2008).
Given the nature of Bhutan’s governance system –
a parliamentary democracy coupled with a consti-
tutional monarchy – the King of Bhutan has been
presiding as the Chancellor of RUB, while MOE
has been overseeing all administrative and regu-
latory activities related to tertiary education. The
RUB was granted autonomous status in 2011 and
has independence in financial and nonfinancial
matters like staffing, planning, and fund
allocation.
The Tertiary Education Policy (TEP) of the
Kingdom of Bhutan, 2010, gave shape to the
Higher Education Systems and Institutions, Bhutan,
Table 1 Tertiary education enrolments
Male Female Total
GER within Bhutan 8.68% 7.46% 16.14%
GER (combined for 13.38% 11.06% 24.44%
Bhutan and in other
countries)
Source: State of Tertiary Education in Bhutan 2017
governance structure of higher education institu-
tions (MOE 2010). Following the policy, the Ter-
tiary Education Board (TEB) was established
through an Executive Order from the cabinet to
provide overall policy and strategic directions to
tertiary education. The Higher Education Plan-
ning Division of DAHE, serves as the Secretariat
to TEB. The Bhutan Accreditation Council
(BAC) was set up to ensure quality assurance
and accreditation. TEB and BAC are empowered
and autonomous bodies that take major decisions
pertaining to planning, establishment, funding,
quality assurance, registration, and licensing.
The Quality Assurance and Accreditation Divi-
sion of the DAHE, MOE, serves as the Secretariat
to BAC. To effectively implement its role, the
BAC has developed Accreditation Principles, the
Accreditation Manual, and the Bhutan Qualifica-
tions Framework (BQF). BAC has so far
accredited 12 tertiary education institutions (one
at “A+” level, five at “A” level, and three at “B”
level and one with provisional certification). The
TEB has developed the Tertiary Education
Roadmap for Bhutan, 2017–2027, with the aim
of developing a forward-looking tertiary educa-
tion system in Bhutan (MOE 2017b). The Tertiary
Education Roadmap underscores the critical role
of tertiary education in building long-term human
capital and innovative capacities to support socio-
economic development in the country.
Financing the Higher Education System
Funding for tertiary education in Bhutan has been
mainly provided by the Royal Government of
Bhutan, and through external aid, mostly pro-
vided by the Government of India. The education
Higher Education Systems and Institutions, Bhutan
Higher Education Level of Qualification
Systems and Institutions,
Diploma
Bhutan,
Table 2 Enrolment of Bachelor
students within Bhutan by Bachelor honors
qualification level Postgraduate certificate
Postgraduate diploma
Master
Doctorate
Total
Source: State of Tertiary Education in Bhutan, 2017
sector (Education Sector: Department of School
Education, Department of Adult and Higher Edu-
cation, Department of Youth and Sports, Depart-
ment of Curriculum Research and Development,
decentralized education sector support through
Dzongkhags, Secretarial Services of the Ministry
of Education, Early Childhood Education, etc.)
has historically received a high share of govern-
ment’s total budget allocation, and in recent years
it has been averaging between 18% and 20%. In
the 11th Five-Year Plan, the education sector
received a capital outlay to the tune of
Nu. 7238.76 million ($113.11 million), which
represented 7.9% of the government’s total capital
outlay (GHNC 2012). During the fiscal year
2017–2018, funding for tertiary education was
of the order of Nu. 2266.85 million ($35 million),
of which Nu.1467.49 million ($ 23 million) came
from the Government of India. Since the early
1990s, the Government of India has been an
important financier of tertiary education in Bhu-
tan, particularly through scholarships for higher
education to Bhutanese students. During
2013–2018, the Government of India’s share of
Bhutan’s tertiary education funding has been
around 60%.
Tertiary education institutions (TEIs) are free
to raise funds from endowments, alumni contri-
butions, research, collaboration and consultancy
activities, short programs, and rent from infra-
structure. External donor grants to TEIs need
approval of the Gross National Happiness Com-
mission (GNHC) (MoE 2013).
The TEB approves and authorizes funding for
scholarships (full/partial, ex-country/in-country)
3
Male Female Total
857 645 1,502
3,918 3,491 7,409
825 784 1,609
17 13 30
235 192 427
184 68 252
21 9 30
6,057 5,202 11,259
for tertiary education students. The number of
scholarships to be offered is determined by the
TEB based on inputs from the National Human
Resource Projections. Scholarship numbers are
approved under Five-Year Plans. Students
enrolled in programs deemed to be of national
priority are eligible to receive full scholarships,
whereas those enrolled in popular courses may
receive only partial scholarships (MOE 2010).
According to the Tertiary Education Statistics
System (TESS), most students in government col-
leges are state-funded (MoE 2018). The Student
Loan Scheme for Tertiary Education instituted by
the DAHE in 2014 prioritizes students from eco-
nomically disadvantaged sections aspiring to pur-
sue higher education courses that ensure
employability in the country. During 2014–2017,
428 students availed student loans. As of 2017,
there were 891 undergraduate students pursuing
various courses in different countries under RGoB
and other scholarships. This also includes under-
graduate students with partial scholarships known
as Assistance to Privately Enrolled Medical Stu-
dents (APEMS) scholarships.
For postgraduate level studies, the Royal Civil
Service Commission (RCSC) coordinates the
scholarship programs. Currently the RCSC has
272 postgraduate students pursuing tertiary edu-
cation abroad through scholarships. The students
studying abroad under scholarships had predom-
inantly enrolled in engineering stream, accounting
for 253 students in 2017.
4 Higher Education Systems and Institutions, Bhutan
The Academic Profession, Students, and
Administrative Staff
Stakeholders in the tertiary education system can
be divided into academic and nonacademic staff
and students. Data from the TESS shows that
743 academic staff (male, 286; female, 457)
work in the 22 tertiary institutes in the country.
Out of these, 10% are Ph.D. holders and 60% are
postgraduates. Around 15% of faculty in Bhuta-
nese colleges are international and mostly hired
on a contractual basis (MOE 2018).
The tertiary education system in Bhutan has
strong connections with India through exchange
of Indian faculty and students, collaborative
research, and other joint initiatives. In 2017,
3993 of the 5791 students pursuing degree
courses outside Bhutan were enrolled in Indian
institutions. Nearly a quarter of total Bhutanese
students pursuing tertiary education are enrolled
in India (MOE 2017a).
The Tertiary Education Policy envisions sev-
eral initiatives for the development of human
resources, with special emphasis on continuing
professional development and support to faculty
to obtain doctorate qualifications and research
experience. The Policy emphasizes the need for
a mix of Bhutanese and international faculty to
enable a vibrant academic culture in the country to
improve quality of learning and promotes collab-
oration with international universities.
Challenges and Prospects in the Tertiary
Education System
Limited Intake Capacity
In 2017, 18,930 students were enrolled in higher
secondary education, out of which 10,145 stu-
dents appeared for the Bhutan Higher Secondary
Education Examination (BHSE). 9280 students
were successful in passing the BHSE and became
eligible for tertiary education. However, the
intake into colleges was only 4118 students
(MoE 2017a). There is a need to increase the
intake capacity of tertiary institutions within the
country to increase enrollments as per the Tertiary
Education Roadmap.
Lack of Qualified Staff and Human Resource
Development
Less than 20% of faculty in Bhutan’s TEIs are Ph.
D. holders. Highly qualified faculty is critical to
promote research, improve learning, and support
the growth of tertiary education. Faculty develop-
ment initiatives are needed to intensify research in
areas of national priority and to strengthen capac-
ities for innovation and creativity. Professional
development opportunities for faculty are
required to improve the quality of teaching and
research, student learning, and the academic envi-
ronment. It is only through faculty development
that curriculum, pedagogy, and learning processes
can be upgraded in line with global trends.
Lack of Diversity in Academic Programs
While the TEP recommends that institutions
diversify their programs and provide multi-
disciplinary education, the current capabilities of
tertiary institutions are not reflective of the same.
Colleges are constrained by resource availability,
lack of accreditation, and insufficient years of
operation.
Need for Orientation to the Job Market
Students entering the workforce are in need of
well-rounded skills. There is particularly a grow-
ing need for soft skills, managerial capabilities,
and work experience by most employers (UNDP
2013). The tertiary education institutes can make
graduates more job-ready by encouraging intern-
ships and providing job-related skills training.
Opportunities
Bhutan is internationally recognized for its poli-
cies and practices relating to environmental pro-
tection. Tertiary education institutions can
develop leading roles to pursue research and
development in this space. Tertiary institutions
could take up topics relating to environmental
Higher Education Systems and Institutions, Bhutan
protection for courses of study and promote inno-
vations for next-generation solutions to protect
the environment and strengthen sustainable
development. Bhutan’s tertiary education institu-
tions could help to develop a strong pool of
environmentalists for Bhutan and the world and
engage in research and studies to synergize
knowledge and practice. Co-locating research
and development with international partners in
key environmental fields will attract international
scholars and students to Bhutan. Joint research
projects on climate change and establishment of
a climate change action research hub could
potentially help to leverage the country’s
strengths in environment protection and sustain-
able development.
Undertake RUB could in areas like climate
change and protection of biodiversity research
and initiate innovations in the teaching and learn-
ing of natural sciences. Research in areas such as
water security, climate change, and disaster risk
reduction can contribute to furthering Sustainable
Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanita-
tion, Goal 13 on climate action, and Goal 15 on
life on land. Bhutan’s unique cultural heritage
would favor deeper action research for conserving
and promoting intangible cultural heritage and
strategically link heritage preservation together
with community well-being, such as employment
and income generation. Tertiary education institu-
tions can foster higher-order human capital for
sustainable development.
5
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