KATHMANDU, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The Lumbini Bauddha University (LBU) of Nepal is set to run Doctoral course in Buddhism aiming to address the crunch of teaching manpower on the subject at the higher level, an official at LBU said here Saturday.

    The newly opened semi-government university in Tenhawa village of central Parsa district, some 100 km south of Kathmandu, has asked 15 students who applied for the course to submit their research proposals, Kedar Shakya, LBU registrar, told reporters.

    Students from Thailand, Japan, Sri-Lanka, Germany, America and Russia have also contacted for seeking enrollment in the three year Doctored course, Shakya revealed.

    The students of Buddhism applying for a Doctor degree need not do Masters in Philosophy as a prerequisite, according to the LBU.

    The university is yet to start courses in Buddhist studies at the intermediate and bachelor levels.

    "The development of curriculum for the courses is nearing completion and the courses will be introduced within this year," Shakya said.

    He said that the courses of bachelor and master level would also be of three years duration but Academic Council of the University is yet to take a decision.

    The demand of manpower specializing in Buddhist religion from the foreign educational institutions was very high, he said.

    "The first World Buddhist Convention held in Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha in western Nepal, had endorsed the proposal of instituting a Bauddha University," he said. Enditem