Institute of Forestry (IOF), Tribhuvan University

What Institute of Forestry (IOF), Tribhuvan University does

The Institute of Forestry (IOF) is a constituent public academic institute of Tribhuvan University and Nepal's premier and only institution fully dedicated to education and training in Forestry and Natural Resource Management. Founded as the Nepal Forestry Institute in 1947 under the Department of Forests, IOF relocated to Hetauda in 1965 and was absorbed into Tribhuvan University in 1972, when the Dean's Office and Pokhara Campus were developed with World Bank, IDA, and USAID support. IOF serves undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students seeking specialized forestry qualifications, and is the primary talent pipeline for Nepal's Ministry of Forests and Environment, Department of Forests and Soil Conservation, and Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.

IOF's academic portfolio comprises a flagship 4-year B.Sc. Forestry program (annual intake of 82 students across Pokhara and Hetauda campuses), six specialized 2-year M.Sc. programs (Forestry; Natural Resource Management and Rural Development; Watershed Management; Wildlife Management and Biodiversity Conservation; Community Forestry; and Mountain Environment and Development Studies), and Ph.D. research programs. The institute's technological platform centers on GIS, Geoinformatics, Remote Sensing, and Drone Technology for field research, with domain specialization in Himalayan soil science, WEFE (Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem) Nexus Assessment, and treeline ecotone ecology. Students gain field-based exposure to Nepal's national parks (including internships at Sagarmatha National Park), international educational tours, and access to a peer-reviewed research publication channel via the FORESTRY Journal (currently soliciting papers for its 23rd Volume, December 2026).

IOF operates a non-profit public university business model funded through Government of Nepal allocations and student tuition fees, with supplementary scholarship support from WWF Nepal and other donors. Admissions are merit-based through a national entrance examination administered via an online portal (entrance.iof.edu.np), with international students admitted via CGPA and interview. Go-to-market relies on the institutional website, national newspaper advertisements, social media, and academic conferences such as the upcoming International Conference 'Forestry for the Future' (August 2026). Strategic partnerships span global academic institutions (Tübingen University, UNSW Bushfire), multilateral bodies (IWMI, World Bank legacy), and domestic conservation organizations (Forest Action Nepal, FECOFUN, RECOFTC, HELVETAS).

Name

Institute of Forestry (IOF), Tribhuvan University

Legal name

Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University

Website

https://iof.tu.edu.np

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Institute of Forestry (IOF) is Nepal's only public institution fully dedicated to forestry and natural resource management education. Operating under Tribhuvan University, it offers B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. programs across Pokhara, Hetauda, and Kathmandu campuses, serving as the primary talent pipeline for Nepal's forestry sector.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Forestry and Natural Resource Management)

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry, Arboriculture & Silviculture (EDAOAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Forestry & Indigenous Land Stewardship Services (IMAMAJAM), Timberland GIS, Remote Sensing & Data Analytics (AFAMAKAG), Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

Keywords

• Forestry education
• Natural resource management
• Watershed management
• Wildlife conservation
• Community forestry

Headquarters

HQ city

Kirtipur

HQ country

Nepal

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a constituent institute of Tribhuvan University, IOF receives funding from the Government of Nepal for operations, infrastructure, and academic programs.
2. Student Tuition and Fees: Students pay tuition fees for B.Sc. and M.Sc. programs. Fee structure varies by campus. Full tuition fee waivers (10% of admitted M.Sc. students) are available as merit-based scholarships. A breakdown of total fees is available on the official website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Institute of Forestry (IOF) is Nepal's premier and only institution fully dedicated to forestry and natural resource management education. It delivers a 4-year B.Sc. Forestry program, six specialized 2-year M.Sc. programs (Forestry, Natural Resource Management and Rural Development, Watershed Management, Wildlife Management and Biodiversity Conservation, Community Forestry, and Mountain Environment and Development Studies), Ph.D. research programs, and the peer-reviewed FORESTRY Journal. Teaching combines classroom instruction with field-based learning using GIS, drone technology, and remote sensing across Nepal's diverse altitudinal ecosystems.

Product overview

The Institute of Forestry (IOF) is Nepal's premier academic institution dedicated to forestry and natural resource management education. It operates a unified academic platform offering undergraduate (BSc Forestry), multiple specialized postgraduate programs (M.Sc. in Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Watershed Management, Wildlife Management, Community Forestry, and Mountain Environment), and doctoral programs. The portfolio is structured around a core BSc Forestry flagship program at Pokhara and Hetauda campuses, complemented by specialized master's programs at the School of Forestry and Natural Resource Management, with an affiliated academic journal (FORESTRY) for research publication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Science in Forestry (B.Sc. Forestry) A 4-year (8 semesters) undergraduate program in forestry education, the oldest such program in Nepal. Students engage in field excursions to national parks, internships at Sagarmatha National Park, educational tours to India, and access to GIS and drone technologies. Annual intake of 82 students across Pokhara and Hetauda campuses.
• Master of Science in Forestry A 2-year (4 semesters) postgraduate program preparing students for leadership roles in environmental conservation, forestry policy, and resource management. Features field-based learning with tours from tropical to alpine forests above 4000 meters.
• M.Sc. in Natural Resource Management and Rural Development A 2-year program addressing sustainable development challenges in rural and natural landscapes, covering green economy, conservation, and rural enterprise development.
• M.Sc. in Watershed Management A 2-year program developing professionals in sustainable watershed and disaster management, covering watershed modeling and natural disaster mitigation.
• M.Sc. in Wildlife Management and Biodiversity Conservation A 2-year program training experts in wildlife protection and sustainable ecosystem management, covering conservation biology, park recreation, and human-wildlife conflict management.
• M.Sc. in Community Forestry A specialized 2-year research-based program developing professionals in participatory forest governance and sustainable forest management.
• M.Sc. in Mountain Environment and Development Studies A multidisciplinary 2-year program equipping students to address environmental and developmental challenges in mountain regions, integrating theory, research methodologies, and applied knowledge.
• Ph.D. Programs in Forestry Research-based doctoral programs available in various fields of forestry, open to students with strong research competence and English language proficiency.
• FORESTRY Journal of Institute of Forestry, Nepal Peer-reviewed journal publishing research and review articles on advances in forestry and allied subjects, currently accepting submissions for its 23rd Volume (December 2026 issue).

Quantifiable outcome

• 78+ years of continuous operation as Nepal's premier forestry institution
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, minor, emerging and core.

• HELVETASstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026International development organization represented at the Inception Workshop on 'Socio-Ecological Dimensions of Community Forestry', contributing to discussions on Nepal's community forestry sector.
• RECOFTC (The Center for People and Forests)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026International organization focused on forest governance and community forestry participated in the IOF inception workshop, bringing expertise on participatory forest management.
• FECOFUN (Federation of Community Forest Users Nepal)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026National federation of community forest user groups participated in the workshop, representing grassroots perspectives on community forestry transformation.
• AFFON (Association of Forestry and Environment Organizations Nepal)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026National association of forestry organizations participated in the community forestry workshop, contributing to multi-stakeholder discussions.
• University of New South Wales (UNSW) BushfireemergingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 March 2026Prof. Jason J. Sharples, Director of UNSW Bushfire, presented advanced fire behavior models at IOF. Expressed interest in establishing future partnerships and student exchange programs for forest fire studies and hazard modeling.
• Forest Action NepalstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 March 2026Researchers from Forest Action Nepal attended the UNSW Bushfire presentation at IOF, representing ongoing collaboration in forestry research and knowledge exchange.
• Australian Himalayan FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 March 2026Alina Clark from Australian Himalayan Foundation attended the UNSW Bushfire presentation at IOF, representing international conservation partnerships in the Himalayan region.
• Tübingen University, GermanystrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Prof. Dr. Thomas Scholten from Tübingen University presented soil science research at IOF. The event discussed expanded academic collaboration including joint research projects and faculty/student exchange between the institutions.
• Research Centre for Applied Science and Technology (RECAST), Tribhuvan UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026RECAST co-hosted the Talk Programme on Himalayan Soil Science with IOF, featuring Prof. Dr. Thomas Scholten from Tübingen University. The collaboration focuses on mountain research and environmental conservation.
• International Water Management Institute (IWMI)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2026IWMI supported the WEFE (Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem) Nexus Training at IOF, providing practical insights into nexus assessment approaches for faculty members.
• Center for Water Resources StudiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2026Collaborated with IWMI to support the WEFE Nexus Training program at IOF, providing expertise in water resource assessment methodologies.
• Ministry of Forests and Environment, NepalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry overseeing forestry sector policy. IOF operates in alignment with ministry priorities and trains professionals for the ministry and its departments.
• Department of Forests and Soil ConservationstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment department responsible for forest management. IOF provides trained graduates and research support for departmental activities.
• Department of National Parks and Wildlife ConservationstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment department managing Nepal's protected areas. IOF students conduct field research and internships in national parks managed by this department.
• Forest Research and Training Center (FRTC)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment research institution under Ministry of Forests and Environment. IOF collaborates on forestry research and knowledge sharing.
• Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational academy promoting science and technology. IOF collaborates on research initiatives and academic development.
• WWF NepalstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational conservation organization with Nepal operations. IOF maintains a useful links connection and scholarship partnership with WWF Nepal.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) Bhopal: India's dedicated postgraduate institute for forestry management, natural resource management, and environmental governance. Comparable as a specialized forestry/NRM graduate institution with strong government and NGO industry linkage.
• Czech University of Life Sciences Prague – Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences: Central European forestry faculty offering B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. programs in forestry and wood sciences. Comparable as a dedicated forestry higher-education institution with applied research and field-based training.
• Bangor University – School of Natural Sciences: UK university with strong forestry, conservation, and environmental science programs offering undergraduate to Ph.D. Comparable as a dedicated forestry and environmental higher-education institution with applied field-research emphasis.
• Forest Research and Training Center (FRTC) Nepal: Nepal government research and training center under the Ministry of Forests and Environment. Comparable as a domestic forestry research and training peer, with overlapping faculty and government partnerships across Nepal's forestry sector.
• University of Helsinki – Department of Forest Sciences: Northern European forestry department offering full multi-tier programs with strengths in boreal forestry, forest ecology, and GIS-based remote sensing. Comparable as a research-active forestry education institution with technology-integrated curriculum.
• Forest Research Institute (FRI) Dehradun: India's premier standalone forestry university under ICFRE, offering B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. programs with strong field research. Directly comparable as a national-level dedicated forestry higher-education institution in a neighboring Himalayan country.

Broad incumbents

• CIFOR-ICRAF: Global research organization focused on forestry and agroforestry with deep South Asia presence. Comparable as a peer working on tropical forestry, community forestry, and natural resource management research in similar geographies.
• Yale School of the Environment: Premier graduate school for forestry, environmental, and climate studies. Comparable as a multi-tier forestry/environment higher-education institution with international student body and research partnerships.
• University of British Columbia – Faculty of Forestry: Globally leading forestry faculty offering undergraduate to Ph.D. programs with research strengths in forest management, watershed science, and conservation. Comparable as a multi-tier forestry higher-education institution with extensive international research collaborations.

Others

• RECOFTC (The Center for People and Forests): Regional knowledge and capacity-building organization focused on community forestry in Asia-Pacific. Comparable as an ecosystem partner working on community forestry training and participatory forest governance in Nepal and the region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute of Forestry (IOF), Tribhuvan University