IOM Nepal, in coordination with the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Social Security (MoLESS), conducted the university mapping to select the university where the Migration school will be organized. For this purpose, Tribhuvan University’s Central Department of Population Studies (TU-CDPS) was selected based on the courses offered, number of students, and the university’s recognition. After several meetings between the two organizations, IOM Nepal’s Chief of Mission and the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 10 June 2022 at Tribhuvan University to launch the Migration School.

The first batch of the Migration School, held from 4-15 September 2023, marked a significant milestone. Comprising 43 participants, with women constituting 37 per cent of the cohort, the diverse group represented central and provincial government entities, National Human Rights Commission, Tribhuvan University’s constituent campus, civil society organizations, the private sector, development practitioners, returnee migrants, and scholars pursuing MPhil and MPhil leading to PhD programs. The participants were selected from a competitive process. The first batch was celebrated as a grand success, affirming the program’s impact and relevance.