DAAD Alumni Symposium

The symposium was originally conceived and initiated by members of the SPRING Association of Regional Planners–Nepal (SARP-Nepal). With the encouragement and support of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), participation was expanded to include a broader network of DAAD alumni from diverse academic and professional backgrounds.

The event was organized by Dr. Chandra Bahadur Shrestha, with support from the German Academic Exchange Service and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kathmandu. It brought together 44 participants, including representatives of the Embassy and DAAD, SPRING alumni, former Members of Parliament, government officials, academics, media professionals, and civil society representatives.

The symposium sought to critically examine Nepal’s federalization process in the context of Generation Z, focusing on the challenges, opportunities, and practical contributions of federalism from a regional planning perspective. Over the course of two days, participants reflected on how Nepal’s federal system, established under the Constitution of Nepal 2015, represents a historic effort to address longstanding issues of centralization, exclusion, and uneven regional development. Federalism was recognized as offering significant opportunities for inclusive governance, decentralized decision-making, and balanced territorial development.

At the same time, participants highlighted several persistent challenges, including overlapping mandates among different tiers of government, limited institutional and technical capacity at provincial and local levels, the continuation of centralized administrative practices, and an emerging trust deficit among young citizens.

Generation Z was identified as a critical stakeholder in Nepal’s federal future. Participants noted that young people increasingly demand governance systems that are efficient, transparent, accountable, and responsive. The symposium emphasized the importance of creating meaningful opportunities for youth engagement in planning, policymaking, innovation, and public service to ensure sustainable development outcomes.

From a regional planning perspective, discussions underscored the need for stronger vertical and horizontal coordination across all levels of government, integrated territorial planning approaches, and enhanced institutional capacity. Participants also stressed the importance of transforming academic institutions to provide practical, interdisciplinary, and federalism-responsive education, research, and technical support.

Key recommendations emerging from the symposium included:
- Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of federal, provincial, and local governments;
- Strengthening intergovernmental coordination and cooperation mechanisms;
- Expanding digital governance and data-driven decision-making;
- Enhancing partnerships between academic institutions and government agencies;
- Supporting youth-led innovation, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement initiatives; and
- Encouraging development partners to invest in capacity-building and youth-focused programs.

The symposium concluded that while Nepal’s federal system remains a work in progress, it possesses considerable potential to advance inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development. Realizing this potential will depend on the effective operationalization of federalism through improved service delivery, equitable resource allocation, strengthened institutional accountability, integration of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) principles, meaningful participation of Generation Z, and the restoration of public trust in public institutions. Aligning governance, planning, and education systems with the aspirations and expectations of younger generations will be essential to fulfilling the promise of federalism in Nepal.