Eleventh UNESCO Workshop on Active Learning in Optics and Photonics (ALOP) Nepal was conducted successfully during July 12-16 2009,  at the Kathmandu University International Centre (KUIC), Dhulikhel, Kavre, Nepal.

The workshop was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Suresh Raj Sharma, Vice Chancellor, Kathmandu University. Prof. Dr. Panna Thapa, Dean of School of Science delivered the welcome speech and Dr. Alex Mazzolini introduced the participants about the program. The opening ceremony was conducted by Dr. Raju Khanal from the central department of Physics, TU.

In all there were 31 participants (3 from India, 3 from Pakistan, 1 from Thailand and 24 from Nepal). There was a very strong demand for places in the workshop. The participants were roughly 60% university academics and 40% high school teachers.

In all, the workshop was run very efficiently and effectively with a major grant from UNESCO, minor grants from EPS-IGPD and Essilor Paris, OSA, and some additional support (financial and in kind) from Kathmandu University and Lekali Trading Concern in Nepal.

The team of resource persons was as follows:

Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn

 University, Bangkok Thailand

In addition to this, Alex Mazzolini presented an active learning seminar on optics to high school students from a local school (Sanjiwani H.S. School). The seminar covered the topics of optics “magic tricks”, colour & colour perception, and optical communications, and again this AL seminar was well received.

In the closing ceremony, Prof. Dr. Bhadraman Tuladhar, Registrar, KU congratulated the participants for the successful completion of the training program and Dr. Deepak Subedi, convenor of the workshop, delivered the vote of thanks. Prof. Suresh Raj  Sharma, Vice Chancellor of KU distributed the certificates to all the participants and also the mementos to the resource persons. In the mean time, the Nepalese participants facilitated the resource persons with typical Nepali gifts.