Pokhara: The Gandaki Province Academy of Science and Technology (GPAST) organized an interaction program on collaborative planning for computer science activities and research in Gandaki Province on Sunday this week.

The program aimed to bring together professionals from academia, industry, and government in computer science to share their experiences and insights on enhancing the field in the province further.

In addition, they discussed the current status of computer science activities and research in the province and shared their ideas for improvement.

The experts at the program stressed the need to prioritize IT security as Nepal lags even among the South Asian nations.

Dhaka Ram Bhandari, the Executive Director of GPAST, said that the interaction program was an excellent opportunity to bring together computer science professionals from different organizations to collaborate and share their knowledge and experience. He also emphasized the need to create a platform to foster collaboration and support among the professionals in the field.

The experts at the program stressed the need to prioritize IT security as Nepal lags even among the South Asian nations. Another heavily discussed topic was data standardization, especially in the government sector and its accessibility.

The experts agreed on the need for a governmental ICT authority that dictates the standard and security of all government and non-government entities.

The representatives from the industry spoke on the issue of talent management in the service industry. They emphasized how university graduates are unprepared to contribute to real-world projects and need short courses (certificate programs) on specialized topics.

The university representatives proposed to tackle those challenges by introducing elective courses in consultation with the industry and focusing more on project-based teaching.

The interaction program also discussed the need to develop innovative solutions to address the province’s challenges. In addition, the professionals discussed the potential of using technology to improve various sectors such as agriculture, health, and tourism.

The program ended with a consensus to establish a collaborative platform for computer science activities and research in the province. The forum will provide a space for computer science professionals to collaborate, share resources, and support each other.

Overall, the interaction program organized by GPAST was a successful initiative to promote collaboration and research in computer science activities in Gandaki Province. Hopefully, this will significantly improve the field and contribute to the province’s overall development.