International Conference on ICT and Photonics to be Held for the First Time in Nepal

Kathmandu. An international conference on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Photonics (ICTP 2026) is set to be organized through the joint initiative of Nepal Engineering College (NEC) and Research and Innovation Center Nepal (RICON).

The (ICTP 2026) conference is going to be held for the first time in Nepal from Magh 8 to Falgun 2 at the Hyatt Centric Hotel in Soltimode, Kathmandu.

The conference, which is being held with the technical support of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Nepal Chapter and the IEEE Photonics Society Nanjing Chapter, is expected to see the presentation of more than 150 research papers by students from undergraduate to PhD levels, as well as researchers from Nepal and international institutions.

According to the press conference held on Thursday, the objective of organizing the program is to develop a culture of research in the subjects of Information and Communications Technology and Photonics, stated Engineer Birodh Rijal, the conference Secretary.

"This conference will prove that there is no shortage of research talents in Nepal. There will also be a notable participation of Nepali researchers in the conference," he said, adding that there is a problem because the government is not providing sufficient budget in the field of research.

Keynote speakers participating in the conference are reported to include Prof. Dr. Chang-Hee Lee, Seung Han Han, and Prof. Pool Ho Lee from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, a top research university in South Korea, Prof. Dr. Narayanan C. Devnath from Eastern International University, Vietnam, and Prof. Dr. Shilong Pan and Prof. Dr. Suping Zhang from Nanjing University, China. Furthermore, Nepali researchers will also present papers on various subjects.

Conference Secretary Rijal informed that research papers will be presented across six categories: RF (Radio Frequency) and Photonics, AI and Machine Learning, ICT Policy and Digital Governance, Recent Trend in Computing, and Robotics and Automation. The selected excellent papers will be published in the IEEE Journal.

The organizers have stated that the participation fee for Nepali students has been fixed at NPR 12,000 to NPR 14,000, and for researchers at NPR 15,000 to NPR 18,000. It has been mentioned that the fee will be different for participants from SAARC nations and other countries. Participants will also get to attend the 'Global Digital Innovation' workshop organized by KAIST, South Korea.

The time allotted for sending research papers was set from September 15 to November 30, and preparations are underway to extend this by 15 days. It is stated that through the conference, teachers and students active in Nepal's science and technology sector will receive important education in the field of research. It is expected that the conference will help inspire innovative ideas, promote collaboration, and facilitate the exchange of knowledge to advance improved sustainable technological development.

Durga Prasad Bhandari, Principal of Nepal Engineering College and a member of the organizing committee, claimed that while Nepali researchers are of international standard, the major concern in this current conference is how to gain maximum knowledge from the studies and research presented by senior researchers affiliated with various organizations, including ICPT.