Silver Jubilee Celebrations: RIM unveils its master’s programs
Coinciding with its silver jubilee celebrations, the Royal Institute of Management in Thimphu unveiled yesterday two masters degree programmes, in public administration and management, classes for which will begin in Febraury next year.
“Twenty five years of being in this academic world shows that RIM is in a position to offer such courses,” said the institute’s director, Karma Tshering. “Along with the opportunity it provides to pursue masters in Bhutan itself, it’ll also have major cost saving.”
The institute will be taking in mostly corporate and private candidates, for which registration will begin soon.Fees for the corporate and private candidates will be around Nu 98,000 a year, while it will be offered free of cost to civil servants, since the program is supported by the government.
The two master’s programs are offered as a joint certification or in partnership with University of Canberra (UC), Australia. “Around six professors from UC will be employed initially to teach almost all the units jointly with RIM faculty,” director Karma Tshering said. “Every professor will have a counterpart here.”He also said, initially UC faculty members would take the lead role, as it moves forward, RIM faculty members would take over in four to five years.
The course is also open for international students. They will be charged around 8,000 Australian dollars a year.
One of the graduates in public administration said that such a program in the country may suit older people with families. “Young people like us would prefer going outside to pursue masters, provided that we can afford,” 25-year old Gaki Wangmo said. “It’ll give us the exposure to another culture and another country.”
Another master’s program in business administration will be introduced in 2012, and master’s in supply chain management in 2013.
Meanwhile, Her Royal Highness Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck awarded certificates to 178 of the institute’s alumni at its 15th convocation also held yesterday. Of the 178 graduates , 23 completed post graduate diploma in national law (PGDNL), 36 graduated in post graduate diploma in public administration (PGDPA), 39 did post graduate diploma in financial management (PGDFM), 28 diploma in national law, 22 for diploma in information management system and 30 candidates in financial management.
By Nirmala Pokhrel; Courtesy: Kuensel
