TIL BDR GHALLEY | Thimphu
The Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) has proposed reallocating Nu.52.002 million from the recruitment of international experts to programme accreditation under its 13th Five-Year Plan (FYP) , as three colleges progress toward international accreditation.
The proposal, presented during the midterm review of the 13th FYP for central agencies on June 22, 2026, would reduce the allocation for recruiting international experts from Nu.264.705 million to Nu.212.703 million.
The reallocated funds would instead be directed to the activity “Colleges to identify flagship programmes and apply for accreditation,” increasing its budget from Nu.44.70 million to Nu.96.702 million.
The RUB Vice Chancellor Chewang Rinzin said strengthening programme and institutional accreditation has become a priority under the 13th FYP to improve the quality of higher education, enhance institutional credibility, and increase the international competitiveness of Bhutan’s universities.
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay urged the university to broaden its accreditation efforts beyond institutions currently undergoing the process, calling for more colleges to be brought under internationally recognised quality assurance frameworks.
Responding to the Prime Minister, RUB Vice Chancellor said the colleges selected for accreditation are in advanced stages of preparation.
“These institutions are already well advanced in meeting the required standards for international accreditation,” the Vice Chancellor said.
According to the review, the College of Science and Technology (CST) is expected to complete accreditation of two academic programmes by June 2026. Institutional accreditation is also underway at Jigme Namgyel Engineering College (JNEC), where officials said one programme each is expected to undergo accreditation by the end of the year.
The Vice Chancellor said documentation, groundwork and auditing processes have largely been completed, with final assessments expected to be conducted by year-end.
Gedu College of Business Studies (GCBS) is also pursuing institutional accreditation under an international framework, with the process expected to take between four and seven years depending on compliance requirements and external evaluation timelines.
The Vice Chancelor said the university had initially targeted five colleges for accreditation, but only three are currently in active progress. The remaining institutions are expected to be included in later phases once they meet readiness standards.
The midterm review also highlighted broader progress under the 13th FYP in higher education reform. RUB has introduced 16 new academic programmes against a target of 26, aimed at aligning university offerings with skills required for the 21st-century economy. Nearly all eligible courses have adopted blended learning, reaching 97.09 percent implementation against full adoption targets.
The Vice Chancellor said the expansion of programmes is part of ongoing efforts to modernise curricula and strengthen relevance to emerging labour market needs, particularly in technical, business and applied science fields.
Faculty qualifications have also improved during the plan period. The proportion of academic staff holding master’s degrees has increased from 69 percent in 2023 to 71.95 percent, while those with doctoral qualifications have risen from 10 percent to 13.5 percent. RUB has also recruited 77 international faculty members against a target of 89.
The university said all nine key performance indicators under its five strategic outputs remain on track during the midterm review period.
On student outcomes, the proportion of students satisfied with campus life stands at 65 percent against a target of 80 percent. Faculty job satisfaction is reported at 72.375 percent against a target range of 80 to 100 percent.
The Vice Chancellor also reported progress in graduate employability monitoring, with employer satisfaction survey instruments under development.
On the financial side, RUB has spent Nu.657.299 million out of the Nu.1.187 billion approved for the first two fiscal years of the 13th FYP, representing a budget utilisation rate of 55.37 percent. This accounts for roughly 25 percent of the university’s total Nu.2.628 billion FYP outlay, with remaining allocations yet to be released.
The Vice Chancellor noted that expenditure reflects phased disbursement across the five-year period rather than underutilization.
The midterm review also outlined ongoing reforms including curriculum updates, digital learning upgrades, infrastructure development, and research capacity strengthening across colleges.
It also presented new proposed activities worth Nu.305.578 million under the CLCS component, covering competency-based training, digital platforms for learning, entrepreneurship and innovation funding, research development, college branding and infrastructure upgrades such as sports facilities and major renovations.
The proposed budget reallocation and related recommendations will require government approval before implementation.
