Bhutan Qualifications and Professionals Certification Authority (BQPCA) — Bhutan's national qualifications and accreditation body, established 9 January 2023 under Section 25 of the Civil Service Reform Act 2022. BQPCA subsumed the former Bhutan Accreditation Council (BAC) — which had been operating with the Quality Assurance and Accreditation Division (QAAD) of DAHE as its secretariat — into the Higher Education Quality Council (HEQC), one of BQPCA's constituent councils. BQPCA operates under the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD). Accreditation is based on the Institutional Accreditation Manual (IAM) seven standards: governance, academic systems, human resources, research, infrastructure, student services, and internal QA. BQPCA was honored with the World Quality Award by World Quality Congress.. Verify on the public registry · last verified 2026-05-14.
Founded 2003 (chartered as College of Science and Technology — a constituent college of the Royal University of Bhutan from RUB's establishment; built on the foundations of the earlier Royal Bhutan Polytechnic established 1973). Bhutan's primary engineering and applied-sciences college, located at Phuentsholing (Chukha Dzongkhag, southern Bhutan on the Indian border). Constituent college of the Royal University of Bhutan from RUB's 2003 establishment. Built on the foundations of the earlier Royal Bhutan Polytechnic established 1973. Programmes: BE Civil Engineering, BE Electrical Engineering, BE Electronics and Communications Engineering, BE Information Technology, BE Software Engineering, BE Architecture, BE Engineering Geology, BE Instrumentation and Control Engineering, BE Water Resources Engineering, MSc Construction Management, MEng Renewable Energy. Strong programmes in hydropower engineering (relevant to Bhutan's significant hydroelectric economy — Bhutan is a net hydropower exporter to India). CURRENT ACCREDITATION: CST was awarded BQPCA institutional accreditation grade A in Autumn 2025.
SubjectsBusiness & Management · Computer Science & IT · Social Sciences · Mathematics & Statistics
Accreditation
Bhutan Qualifications and Professionals Certification Authority (BQPCA) — Bhutan's national qualifications and accreditation body, established 9 January 2023 under Section 25 of the Civil Service Reform Act 2022. BQPCA subsumed the former Bhutan Accreditation Council (BAC) — which had been operating with the Quality Assurance and Accreditation Division (QAAD) of DAHE as its secretariat — into the Higher Education Quality Council (HEQC), one of BQPCA's constituent councils. BQPCA operates under the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD). Accreditation is based on the Institutional Accreditation Manual (IAM) seven standards: governance, academic systems, human resources, research, infrastructure, student services, and internal QA. BQPCA was honored with the World Quality Award by World Quality Congress.. Verify on the public registry · last verified 2026-05-14.
Founded 2008 (chartered as Gedu College of Business Studies, a constituent college of the Royal University of Bhutan; converted from the former Gedu Higher Secondary School facility). Bhutan's premier business college, located at Gedu in Chukha Dzongkhag (southwestern Bhutan). Founded 2008 as a constituent college of the Royal University of Bhutan, converted from the former Gedu Higher Secondary School facility. Programmes: BBA, BCom (Bachelor of Commerce), BBA Tourism and Hospitality Management, MBA, MCom. Strong programmes in finance, marketing, human resources, tourism, and economic policy (the latter being especially relevant given Bhutan's distinctive GNH-aligned economic policy framework). CURRENT ACCREDITATION: GCBS was awarded BQPCA institutional accreditation grade A+ in Autumn 2025 — the HIGHEST grade awarded, making GCBS Bhutan's top-accredited HEI under the current institutional accreditation framework.
Bhutan Qualifications and Professionals Certification Authority (BQPCA) — Bhutan's national qualifications and accreditation body, established 9 January 2023 under Section 25 of the Civil Service Reform Act 2022. BQPCA subsumed the former Bhutan Accreditation Council (BAC) — which had been operating with the Quality Assurance and Accreditation Division (QAAD) of DAHE as its secretariat — into the Higher Education Quality Council (HEQC), one of BQPCA's constituent councils. BQPCA operates under the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD). Accreditation is based on the Institutional Accreditation Manual (IAM) seven standards: governance, academic systems, human resources, research, infrastructure, student services, and internal QA. BQPCA was honored with the World Quality Award by World Quality Congress.. Verify on the public registry · last verified 2026-05-14.
Founded 2012 (established by Royal Decree; opened 2013; named after His Majesty the Fifth King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck — Bhutan's SECOND university and the country's sole dedicated medical university). Bhutan's sole dedicated medical and health-sciences university, established 2012 by Royal Decree of His Majesty the Fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck and opened 2013. Named after His Majesty the Fifth King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (Khesar Gyalpo means 'King Khesar' in Dzongkha). Bhutan's SECOND university — separate from RUB to dedicate institutional focus to medical education and health-sciences workforce development. Main campus at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu. Faculties: Faculty of Postgraduate Medicine, Faculty of Nursing and Public Health, Faculty of Traditional Medicine (uniquely combines modern medical education with the traditional Bhutanese Sowa Rigpa medical system), and academic departments for undergraduate medical degrees. CURRENT ACCREDITATION CONTEXT (as of 2026): BQPCA's Autumn 2025 institutional accreditation cycle found that KGUMSB's Faculty of Postgraduate Medicine did not meet the minimum threshold for institutional accreditation under the BQPCA's seven-standard framework — 'Accreditation Certificate not awarded'. Other KGUMSB faculties continue to operate. Students considering postgraduate medical programmes at KGUMSB should verify current accreditation status directly with BQPCA before enrolment.
Thimphu · private · Dzongkha + English (HE medium)
SubjectsArts & Humanities · Social Sciences · Business & Management · Computer Science & IT · Natural Sciences · Languages & Linguistics
Accreditation
Bhutan Qualifications and Professionals Certification Authority (BQPCA) — Bhutan's national qualifications and accreditation body, established 9 January 2023 under Section 25 of the Civil Service Reform Act 2022. BQPCA subsumed the former Bhutan Accreditation Council (BAC) — which had been operating with the Quality Assurance and Accreditation Division (QAAD) of DAHE as its secretariat — into the Higher Education Quality Council (HEQC), one of BQPCA's constituent councils. BQPCA operates under the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD). Accreditation is based on the Institutional Accreditation Manual (IAM) seven standards: governance, academic systems, human resources, research, infrastructure, student services, and internal QA. BQPCA was honored with the World Quality Award by World Quality Congress.. Verify on the public registry · last verified 2026-05-14.
Founded 2009 (chartered as Royal Thimphu College — Bhutan's first private liberal-arts college; affiliated with the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB)). Bhutan's first PRIVATE LIBERAL-ARTS COLLEGE, located at the Ngabiphu campus outside Thimphu. Founded 2009 and affiliated with the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) — RTC awards RUB-validated degrees. American-style liberal-arts curriculum with English-medium instruction. Programmes: BA in English Studies, Economics, Political Science and Sociology; BBA in various concentrations; BSc in Environmental Management and Climate Studies (relevant to Bhutan's carbon-negative status); BCA in Computer Applications. Strong international exchange programmes including with US, Canadian, and European universities. Notable for offering Bhutan's first liberal-arts pathway and the first private alternative to the public RUB constituent colleges.
SubjectsArts & Humanities · Social Sciences · Natural Sciences · Engineering & Technology · Business & Management · Education · Computer Science & IT · Languages & Linguistics · Agriculture & Environmental Studies · Architecture & Design
Accreditation
Bhutan Qualifications and Professionals Certification Authority (BQPCA) — Bhutan's national qualifications and accreditation body, established 9 January 2023 under Section 25 of the Civil Service Reform Act 2022. BQPCA subsumed the former Bhutan Accreditation Council (BAC) — which had been operating with the Quality Assurance and Accreditation Division (QAAD) of DAHE as its secretariat — into the Higher Education Quality Council (HEQC), one of BQPCA's constituent councils. BQPCA operates under the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD). Accreditation is based on the Institutional Accreditation Manual (IAM) seven standards: governance, academic systems, human resources, research, infrastructure, student services, and internal QA. BQPCA was honored with the World Quality Award by World Quality Congress.. Verify on the public registry · last verified 2026-05-14.
Founded 2003 (chartered by Royal Charter from His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck on 2 June 2003 — Bhutan's first university, established as a FEDERATION/NETWORK of pre-existing colleges rather than a single-campus university). Bhutan's flagship university, established 2 June 2003 by Royal Charter from His Majesty the Fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck — Bhutan's FIRST university. Unique federation/network structure: RUB is NOT a single-campus university but a coordinating body for ~10 constituent colleges spread across Bhutanese dzongkhags (districts), each with its own subject specialisation. Constituent colleges include: Sherubtse College (1968, oldest college, Trashigang — originally Canadian Jesuit-founded), Paro College of Education (1975, Paro), Samtse College of Education (1968, Samtse), College of Natural Resources (Lobesa), College of Science and Technology (Phuentsholing — see separate entry), Gaeddu College of Business Studies (Gedu — see separate entry), Jigme Namgyel Engineering College (Dewathang), College of Language and Culture Studies (Taktse), College of Zorig Chusum (Trashi Yangtse — traditional Bhutanese arts), and Royal Institute of Health Sciences (Thimphu). Additional affiliated colleges include Royal Thimphu College (private). The Office of the Vice-Chancellor sits in Thimphu. RUB's educational philosophy is grounded in Bhutan's Gross National Happiness (GNH) framework. English-medium instruction throughout.
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