Kathmandu. The second national conference organized by Mid Valley International College stressed on the need for the transformation of business, technology and hospitality sector by putting research and technology development into practice.
The one-day national conference on ‘Digital Transformation and Innovation: Shaping the Future of Business, Technology and Hospitality’ organized by Mid Valley International College discussed the development and impact of research technology, artificial intelligence, tourism, digital financial services and hospitality sector.
On the occasion, the president of the college, Rital Rana, said that research has increased the possibility of new knowledge, technology and invention in recent days. Stating that various types of technology are developing rapidly in the world in recent times, she stressed that they should be used properly and as per the need.
He said that researchers should not limit their research to only sheets of paper. Rana said that only if the knowledge and conclusions obtained from the research can be used in practice, its real achievements will be seen and it will contribute to the society.
“We should not be limited to doing research and preparing research papers,” she said, adding that the results obtained from the research should be used in the areas of need and use them. She said that research should be linked to experimentation as research can solve the problems of the society and contribute to the development of the country.
Appreciating the research work being done by Mid Valley College, President Rana said that the research being done by the college should be useful in different areas of the country in the coming days. Encouraging students and researchers to explore new subjects, she stressed on the need to institutionalize research and innovation.
Similarly, Dr. Padam Dangol, Research Head of the college, said that such conferences will create an important environment for the development of new technologies and research. He said that the research done now will help in the development of new knowledge, technology and solutions not only in the immediate future but also in the future.
He said that the conference is not only a place for researchers to present their research but also a medium to learn from each other, exchange new ideas and prepare the basis for future research.
“The results of the research done now will be useful for the development of something new in the future,” Dangol said. He said that through research, new thinking will be developed in the students and their confidence and capacity will be increased.
Dangol said that such programs will give students an opportunity to present their research and increase their interest in exploring and studying new subjects. He said that research should be linked not only with the studies of the students but also with the needs of the society and the state.
“Such programs will boost the morale and capacity of the students. Its impact is not limited to the students but can reach different areas of the state through the society,” he said.
Dr. Dangol said that preparations are being made to expand the conference of Mid Valley College from national to international level next year. He said that the scope of the conference will be widened to include researchers, experts and academicians from home and abroad. He also informed that preparations are being made to publish the research papers presented in the conference in the form of articles in the coming months. He said that this will give an opportunity to the researchers to make their work more systematic and widely public.
Similarly, Prof. Dr. Satish Kumar Ojha of Tribhuvan University. Satish Kumar Ojha said that the development of technology is moving forward at a rapid pace after passing through different stages worldwide. He said that with the development of technology, there is a big change in the way people work, the way of conducting business and the system of service delivery.
Ojha said that the use of new technology is becoming indispensable for sustainable development. He said that technology should be used not only as a symbol of modernity but also as a means to increase productivity, simplify services and simplify people’s lives.
Stating that the development of artificial intelligence is happening at a rapid pace in recent times, he urged students and researchers to make proper use of AI. Stating that AI can be used properly in various sectors including business, education, tourism, he stressed on the need to understand technology and develop the capacity to use it.
He said that it is natural to make mistakes in the initial stage while doing new work. He said that good results can be achieved by learning from mistakes and making continuous efforts. He advised students not to be afraid to do new work.
“When you do something, it does not mean that everything will be right in the beginning. You learn by doing it and you can get good results from it,” he said. Ojha said that although there is a growing concern that due to the rapid development of AI, people will lose their jobs, but there is no need to be unnecessarily afraid of it. According to him, AI will help make the work done by humans easier and more effective than completely displacing humans.
He said that AI cannot completely replace such work as it requires human empathy, experience and direct interaction in areas such as nursing, teaching, counselling and travel. He said that AI should be understood as a helpful technology rather than a human competitor.
Similarly, in the conference, Acharya Mahendra Vasishtha gave a presentation on ‘Interrelationship Between Spiritual Journey and Scientific Research’. He talked about the relationship between scientific research and spiritual journey and said that mental stress and imbalance of people are increasing in modern society. Stating that negative incidents like suicide are increasing in the society in recent times, he said that practices like meditation and meditation are necessary to make people mentally calm and positive.
He said that the problems and challenges faced in life should be dealt with in a calm manner and that spiritual practice is important for the mental peace of the people. He said that along with the development of science and technology, the inner peace and mental health of the people should also be given equal priority.
Vasishtha said that while technology has made the outer life of a person easier, personal discipline, meditation and positive thinking are necessary to maintain the inner peace of a person. He believed that the overall development of a person is possible only when a balance is maintained between modern technology and spiritual consciousness.
During the conference, various researchers presented research papers related to business, technology, tourism, environment, digital financial services, health, transportation and hospitality sectors. Research papers on ‘Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Tourism Industry of Pokhara Valley’, ‘Geospatial Analysis of Urban Green Space Dynamics in the Kathmandu Ring Road Area: A Multitemporal Remote Sensing and GIS Approach (2015/2025)’, ‘Random Forest Detection of Lake Surface Water Temperature Proxy Anomalies at Lima Lake, Nepal’, ‘Sustainable Tourism in Nepal’, ‘Opportunities, Challenges and Policy Recommendations’ and ‘Terminants of IPO Participation among University Students in Kathmandu’ were presented.
Research papers on electric vehicle batteries, digital payment services, digital financial services, public transport, digital wallets, digital literacy, insurtech, machine learning, health record management, digital health, information security and privacy, corporate governance and digital entrepreneurship were also presented. The conference provided an opportunity to exchange experiences and knowledge on new technologies, research and innovations among students, professors, researchers and stakeholders from the technology and business sector.
