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Lecturer

Dr. Shrestha has over 25 years of professional experience in development planning, economic research, financial sector policy, and strategic management. He served as the Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission of Nepal during 2016–2017 and again from 2023–2024. Prior to that, he worked as the Head of the Economic Research Department at the central bank of Nepal for five years, and as a Senior Economist and Visiting Research Economist at the South East Asian Central Banks (SEACEN) Research and Training Centre in Malaysia for four years. As Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission, he successfully led the formulation of Nepal’s Fourteenth and Sixteenth Development Plans. He also led delegations to several high-level forums and policy dialogues on sustainable development and regional economic cooperation. In addition, he presented Nepal’s first and third Voluntary National Reviews on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the High-Level Political Forum at the UN Headquarters in July 2017 and July 2024. He has also worked intermittently as a consultant, supporting the preparation of socioeconomic development plans, strategies, and policy documents. He has served as team leader, chief economist, coordinator, and member for various economic research projects, diagnostic studies, high-level task forces, and plan and policy formulation and institutional reform initiatives for federal, provincial, and local governments, the central bank, and various international development agencies. Dr. Shrestha holds a Master of Public Administration from Tribhuvan University, Nepal; a Master of Business Administration from Hult International Business School, United Kingdom; and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Wollongong, Australia. He also completed graduate-level financial economics courses at the University of New Orleans, United States. the preparation of socioeconomic development plans, strategies, and policy documents. He has served as team leader, chief economist, coordinator, and member for various economic research projects, diagnostic studies, high-level task forces, and plan and policy formulation and institutional reform initiatives for federal, provincial, and local governments, the central bank, and various international development agencies. Dr. Shrestha holds a Master of Public Administration from Tribhuvan University, Nepal; a Master of Business Administration from Hult International Business School, United Kingdom; and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Wollongong, Australia. He also completed graduate-level financial economics courses at the University of New Orleans, United States. 

Dr. Bhima Dhungana

Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics

Bhima Dhungana received Ph.D. degree from University of Miyazaki, Japan in 2010. She served as a member of the Provincial Policy and Planning Commission (PPPC) of Gandaki Province, Nepal for three years, 2019 -2021. She has more than 15 years of work experience on different portfolios at government, nongovernment and development organizations. Her consultancy work with esteemed organizations such as the World Bank, UNDP, DFID, UKAid, USAID, Plan International, JICA. Dr. Dhungna has served as a chairperson of nonprofit company- NESAF. She led and conducted several number of qualitative and quantitative research projects related to policy paper, M&E sector, GESI, baseline, capacity building, women empowerment training and workshop as well as qualitative research activates. In addition, she has strong skills in periodic plan, MTEF, gender-responsive budgeting and analysis of sectoral development programs including agriculture and socio-economic assessments. She has depth knowledge on research, policy analysis, budgeting including SDGs based medium-term expenditure framework, GESI guideline. More specific skill in policy making, monitoring and evaluation, leadership and coordination.  Bhima Dhungana received Ph.D. degree from University of Miyazaki, Japan in 2010. She served as a member of the Provincial Policy and Planning Commission (PPPC) of Gandaki Province, Nepal for three years, 2019 -2021. She has more than 15 years of work experience on different portfolios at government, nongovernment and development organizations. Her consultancy work with esteemed organizations such as the World Bank, UNDP, DFID, UKAid, USAID, Plan International, JICA. Dr. Dhungna has served as a chairperson of nonprofit company- NESAF. She led and conducted several number of qualitative and quantitative research projects related to policy paper, M&E sector, GESI, baseline, capacity building, women empowerment training and workshop as well as qualitative research activates. In addition, she has strong skills in periodic plan, MTEF, gender-responsive budgeting and analysis of sectoral development programs including agriculture and socio-economic assessments. She has depth knowledge on research, policy analysis, budgeting including SDGs based medium-term expenditure framework, GESI guideline. More specific skill in policy making, monitoring and evaluation, leadership and coordination.