Bhutan’s higher education system, though having evolved significantly, still relies on traditional classroom settings, fixed curricula, and lump-sum tuition fees. This approach, which has worked in the past, is now outdated. To support student-centered education, it is essential to embrace flexible learning model that allows students to balance their workloads and be able to manage tuition fees based on their financial capacity. For colleges, such a system can attract a more diverse student population, including part-time learners and working professionals, thereby increasing enrolment and revenue streams.

General education and exploration

One key area where flexibility can be explored is the first year curriculum. Incoming students should have the opportunity to delay declaring or choosing a concentration until the end of either first semester or the first year. Such provision will foster intellectual curiosity, interdisciplinary learning, and personal growth. This flexibility will help students to make informed decisions about their future, reducing the risk of dissatisfaction from premature specialization after Year 12.

Credit based tuition fee

At present, almost all modules are weighted equally (12 credits) in the colleges. Each semester has 4-5 compulsory modules, with minimal electives or interdisciplinary learning options. The average tuition fee ranges from 70-80K per semesters. If a student’s fails two subjects in first semester, they now have to take seven subjects in the next, significantly increasing cost and academic burden, creating spiralling effect.

It is time for Universities and colleges to introduce credit based modules where credits are assigned based on the academic workload, ensuring that modules weights vary according to effort and time it requires, rather than being uniformly assigned. Building on this, a pay-per-credit system, where private colleges, in particular, structure their tuition fees based on the number of credits is both necessary and timely. Colleges will see increase enrolment while providing students with the opportunity to select courses across disciplines and the flexibility to spread tuition payments over time, easing the financial burden of large upfront fees.

Flexible learning modules

Provision for strong or highly motivated students to complete their degrees faster by taking higher credit loads per term (Accelerated Pathways). While students with personal, financial, or professional constraints can spread coursework over an extended period (Part-time students). Most universities in Australia allow up to 8 years to complete an undergraduate degree. Universities here should consider this flexibility, with government-funded students having a more structured timeline to ensure efficient use of public resources, while self-funded students can have greater flexibility in choosing their course load and completion time.

Hybrid Learning Models Bhutan’s higher education system still relies heavily on traditional classroom-based models, which may not fully address the diverse needs and learning styles of modern students. Given the need for more flexibility, we must now provide opportunities for part-time and module-specific students to enroll, along with provisions for online attendance. However, we must ensure that online courses maintain the same quality standards as in-person courses, perhaps by accrediting online programs or incorporating regular assessments and interactions. On effective example of such provision could be offering online courses in emerging fields like AI and data science. This would create lifelong learning opportunities for professionals, including civil servants, enabling them to enhance their skills and advance their careers. Additionally, Bhutan could capitalize on its unique programs, such as those focused on Gross National Happiness (GNH), to attract a global audience, showcasing the country’s distinctive philosophy.

Academic credit banks: Explore a system where students and professionals can store and transfer earned credits to the likes of National Education Policy (2020) in India and Australia’s Credit Transfer System that allows students to digitally store their earned credits in an Academic Credit Banks just like bit coin and facilitate transfer of credits between institutions or across related qualifications.

Bhutan’s higher education system has made significant progress, evolving from a single college to multiple universities. However, it must not rest on its laurels. It is essential that we move forward with these reforms in the next few years to ensure Bhutan’s higher education system meets the demands of the modern world.

Contributed by

Gyambo Sithey,

The Centre for Research Initiatives, Thimphu