The university enjoys utmost autonomy in operation and management. The Senate, Academic Council, Executive Council, and the Deans are responsible for the development of policies and programs of the university.
Senate
Kathmandu University Senate has thirty-five members who are ex-officio university authorities, educationists, industrialists, donors, trustees, and representatives of the affiliated institutions. The Hon'ble Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the university, is the chair. The Hon'ble Education & Sports Minister is the Pro-Chancellor. The Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, and the Deans, one principal of an affiliated college, two teacher representatives and a student representative sit in the Senate. Member, National Planning Commission, Parliamentarians, Secretary of Ministry of Education & Sports, Secretary of Ministry of Finance, Mayors of Dhulikhel and Banepa Municipalities are also ex-officio members.
The Senate is the supreme governing body of the university which, inter-alia, decides about academic programs, degrees, affiliations; examines and approves annual programs, budget proposals, audited reports, fixes the number of teachers, administrative staff, and employees and terms and conditions of their services; constitutes recommendation committee for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor and other committees as required.
Academic Council
The Academic Council is the main educational and academic authority of the university. It consists of fifteen members – Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, six Deans, five chairpersons of the subject committee, and two representatives of affiliated colleges. The Vice-Chancellor is the chair of the council. It sets up the standard of learning and teaching, curricula, quality of teaching materials, types of examinations, methods of evaluations, size of the classes and admission requirements. It also sets up policies for the standard of education and research, arranges for awarding honorary degrees and prescribes minimum qualifications of teachers of various levels.
Executive Council
The Executive Council (EC) consists of the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Registrar, two Deans and one teacher representative nominated by the Senate. VC Chairs the EC meeting which executes the decisions and directives of the Senate, follows the policy and guidelines of the Government of Nepal, prepares and presents annual programs, budget, progress and audited reports to the Senate, accepts grants and donations, manages funds, assets-movable and immovable and disposes of property, provides oversight to programs run and reports on them, prepares draft rules and submits them for approval, appoints personnel as required, fixes terms and conditions of their services and presents them to the Senate.
Board of Trustees
The University’s Board of Trustees is composed of renowned personalities. It is entrusted with the responsibilities of approving long-term plans, generating, and controlling the resource. It gives direction whenever needed and also represents the search committee for the selection of Vice-Chancellor.
Faculty Boards and Research Committees
Schools are the centers of educational activities and Deans are their chief. Each school has one faculty board and a research committee headed by the respective Dean and several subject committees which are chaired by the Head of Department (HoD) of the concerned subject.