Central Department Of Hydrology & Meteorology Tribhuvan University
चन्द्रलोक जलवायु विज्ञान पुरस्कारका लागि निवेदन पेस गर्न आव्हान
Posted on: 13 February, 2026
08 September, 2025
Due to current situation in Nepal, the application process for the “Winter school 2025” has been temporarily closed. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Winter School 2025
Application of Field and Remote Sensing Techniques for Glacier Studies
About Winter School
The glacier and ice-covered area of High-Mountain Asia (HMA) encompasses a significant portion of land area in Asia, playing a critical role as the largest repository of snow and ice outside the Polar Regions. HMA glaciers serve as a vital water source for the major Asian river systems, sustaining the livelihoods of billions of people both upstream and downstream. However, the accelerating impacts of climate change have led to the rapid wastage of HMA glaciers, with consequences on water resources and associated glacier hazards. Understanding the hydrological intricacies of these glaciated basins is paramount for the management of future water resources. It is also essential to understand how glaciers are changing, especially when retreat can lead to the formation of glacier lakes and the threat of sudden floods, to try and mitigate the risk. Nonetheless, our comprehension of the high-mountain glacio-hydro-meteorological environment and related risks remains limited due to a shortage of trained experts and a reliable long-term data and monitoring infrastructure.
To address these challenges, the Central Department of Hydrology and Meteorology at Tribhuvan University (CDHM-TU) has initiated an annual regional “Winter School” starting in 2022. Three intense training initiatives have been successfully concluded in 2022, 2023, and 2024 with support from the Institute of Research for Development, France (IRD), the University Grant Commission Nepal (UGC), the Kathmandu Center for Research and Education, the Chinese Academy of Science, and Tribhuvan University (KCRE, CAS-TU), Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO), UNESCO IGCP Program, and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). As part of this ongoing effort, the 4th Winter School will be held from October 26 to November 21, 2025, both in the Classroom (in Kathmandu) and in the field (the Everest region of Nepal).
The Winter school includes theoretical sessions, hands-on tutorials, followed by direct field exercises in the Everest region of Nepal for a selected group of participants, including the Changri-Nup glacier.
Objectives
The long term goal of this school is to promote capacity building in monitoring of high-mountain glaciers, hydrology and climate in this region. Specifically, we aim to empower local students and researchers, by strengthening their capacity to establish and conduct a sustainable glacio-hydro-meteorological monitoring network in HMA, as well as analysing the data. By training local and regional scientists, we believe this network will significantly contribute to our understanding of the changing environment in HMA and its long-term impact on the livelihoods of millions of people in the region.
Winter School 2025 will bring together university students, early-career professionals, and researchers from Nepal, Pakistan, China, India, Bhutan. The facilitators will primarily be distinguished researchers from Institute of Research for Development, France. Participants will be exposed to theoretical concepts in glaciology and remote sensing, then will apply these through a series of tutorials and then use this knowledge to engage in direct field investigations at the Changri-Nup glacier in the Everest region.
Expected Outcomes
Through this Winter School, we anticipate the following outcomes:
Important dates
Who can apply?
Applicants must meet the required qualifications listed below:
Note: Limited self-funded seats are available for applicants outside Nepal.
How to apply?
Interested candidates are invited to apply through the provided application link. For comprehensive information and application details, please refer to the information provided above.
Course Contents
PART I: Laboratory Sessions (Oct 20 – 30th, 2025)
Field glaciology module:
Remote sensing and GIS modules:
Glacio-hydrology modules:
Permafrost module:
Deep learning module:
Hazard module:
Part II: Field training, Khumbu region, Nov 4 – 21, 2025
Scholarships:
Participants apply for full and partial scholarships. The full scholarship covers round-trip airfare, local transportation, accommodation, and meals throughout the winter school. The partial scholarship covers local accommodation and lunch during the theory and hands-on sessions in Kathmandu (26 October to 3November 2025). For both cases, priority for consideration is given to applicants who are:
Note: applicants across the globe can apply for a partial scholarship.
Key resource Persons:
Dr. Adina Racoviteanu, Research Scientist, Institute of Research for Development, France
Dr. Fanny Brun, Research Scientist, Institute of Research for Development, France
Dr. Amaury Dehecq, Research Scientist, Institute of Research for Development, France
Dr. Walter Immerzeel, Professor, Utrecht University (TBD), Netherlands
Dr. Kristen L Cook, University of Grenoble Alps, France
Dr. Dibas Shreshta, Assistant Professor, CDHM Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Dr. Mohd. Farooq Azam, senior cryosphere specialist and other ICIMOD Scientists
Contact:
Dr. Dibas Shrestha (Email: dibas.shrestha@cdhm.tu.edu.np, Mob. No: 9841420676)
Dr. Binod Dawadi (binod.dawadi@cdhm.tu.edu.np, Mob No: 9851079900)
Dr. Sunil Acharya (sunil.acharya@cdhm.tu.edu.np, Mob No: 9841251700)
Note: Winter School 2025 is made possible through the collaborative efforts of our partner institutions, including IRD-France, KCRE CAS-TU and ICIMOD.