ICH Courier

History and Programs
The Central Department of Nepalese History, Culture and Archaeology (CDNeHCA) is one of the oldest departments of Tribhuvan University, Nepal’s first and largest autonomous public university established in 1959.
At present, it offers MA and MPhil-PhD programs offering various subjects on major cultural domains ranging from Nepalese history, epigraphy, paleography, museology, numismatics, religion, philosophy, art, architecture, prehistory, archaeology to archival science.
As a Central department of Tribhuvan University, it develops syllabi for various academic levels of Culture and updates them for its constituent affiliates across the nation. The curricula focus on cross- disciplinary integration of ICH across many subjects. A 2017 survey on tertiary ICH courses in the Asia-Pacific region conducted by ICHCAP recognized the department’s Masters’ curriculum as having a “mid-level” incorporation of ICH-related studies. Its academic programs aim to instill knowledge through a  diverse range of subjects of history, culture and heritage and not limited to ICH alone.

Legacy of Cultural Education and ICH Safeguarding
Since its establishment, CDNeHCA has been a pivotal academic institution within the multi-ethnic, multi linguistic, multi-religious and multi- cultural contexts of Nepal. Importantly, CDNeHCA’s mission explicitly includes and clearly mentions community, stating its goal is “to contribute to cultural studies by serving the different needs and interests regarding the tangible and intangible heritages of communities and the country.”
Beyond educative affairs, the department plays a key rolein coordinating and assisting the Government of Nepal in the inventorying of ICH. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), has been campaigning to prepare an inventory of intangible cultural heritages across the country, following its Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory and Management Procedure, 2081 (2024). The Head of CDNeHCA serves as an expert member of the Evaluation Committee. Recently, through a tripartite agreement between MoCTCA, CDNeHCA and ICHCAP, a research project titled “Developing Nepal’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Content in the Framework of ICH Links (2025-2026)” was launched. This project, funded by ICHCAP and coordinated by MoCTCA, is being jointly undertaken by the faculty and students of CDNeHCA. The team will document 21 ICH elements practiced by different indigenous communities across Nepal’s seven provinces and three terrains—the Himalayas, the Hills and the Terai.

In 2018, the department’s faculty and students were involved in documenting tangible and intangible heritage at the Pashupatinath World Heritage Site; the Pashupatinath Area Development Trust subsequently published these findings. CDNeHCA has also successfully coordinated with the municipalities of Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Kathmandu, and Chandragiri to raise heritage awareness and bridge the gap between the university and local communities. Realizing the pivotal role of universities in community engagements, the department has strategically increased its community focused programs in recent times.
Similarly, research publications produced by CDNeHCA maintain a high reputation. Nepalese Culture, a research journal published periodically by the department  since 1979, has upheld its pioneering contribution by providing

equitable space for research on ICH. The department’s library is home to more than 200 Master’s theses and a significant number of PhD dissertations, which contribute majorly to the study of ICH. During field training, faculty members and students build rapport with villagers, gain an understanding of their ICH within archaeological contexts, and collect data while forming meaningful connections with the community.

International Collaborations
CDNeHCA maintains a robust reputation for international collaboration. For overa decade, its MA students and faculty
have collaborated with the UNESCO office in Kathmandu, the Department of Archaeology (Nepal), and Durham University (UK) on excavations in Lumbini region.
During these field trainings, faculty and students also conduct surveys and build rapport with local communities.
In recent years, CDNeHCA has gained significant momentum within the international sphere. In 2023, the department jointly organized the 9th SSEASR
(South and Southeast Asian Association for the Study of Culture and Religion) international conference, co hosted by NATHM (National Academy of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Nepal). The conference was themed “Sacredness, Symbolism, and Society: Practices in South and Southeast Asia,” featuring 125 paper presenters and a significant number of national and international participants who engaged in the scholarly discussions.
As a founding member of the Asia-Pacific Higher Education Network for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage (APHEN-ICH), CDNeHCA remains committed to its statues and aspirations. This department’s focal person served as an elected bureau representative from 2022to 2024. During this term, the department organized “2024 APHEN-ICH General Meeting and Conference” from September 21 to 23, inviting all the member universities’ representatives to Nepal. During this event, through the initiative of ICHCAP, a “Youth Session” titled “Special Lectures on ICH for University Students” had been organized, benefiting at least 100 CDNeHCA students.
While the APHEN-ICH General meeting focused on ICH education, collaborative research, and the sharing of  opportunities among member universities, the conference centered on the theme “ICH for Building Community Resilience: Context of Disasters and Climate Change.” Thus, through its high-quality teaching and learning environment, CDNeHCA not only educates aspiring learners but also focuses on fostering morally responsible global citizens. by internalizing the values of community and nation-building, is the department remains at the vanguard, reaching out to diverse communities across Nepal alongside its academic responsibilities.