Ram Kumar Phuyal, PhD.

Expert Professor of Economics, CEDA, Tribhuvan University

Former Member of National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal

Emails: ram.phuyal@ceda.tu.edu.np, and phuyal_ram5@yahoo.com

Cell no. +977-9851170527 and Phone: +977-1-4330324

Dr. Ram Kumar Phuyal, a leading economist, development planer, and public policy analyst, is an Expert-Professor of Economics at the Centre for Economic Development and Administration (CEDA), Tribhuvan University (T.U.), since February 2025. He served as a member of National Planning Commission (NPC) of Government of Nepal from 2018 to 2024. During his tenure, he led macroeconomic policy formulation and provided strategic oversight in key areas, including finance, national accounts, industry, trade, labor and employment, social protection, foreign aid, national project bank, tourism and poverty alleviation among others. He also served as Nepal’s national focal for the LDC Graduation and played a key role in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He was instrumental in formulating Nepal’s 15th and 16th Plans, advancing subnational planning, overseeing national pride projects, and leading high-level taskforces and government committees, with significant contributions to evidence-based, and results-driven national policy studies.

From 2018to 2024 at the NPC, Dr. Phuyal actively engaged in global policy dialogues on sustainable development, economic transformation, labor migration, employment, big data generation, and social protection agendas. He also worked closely with United Nations agencies including the ILO, UNDP, UNICEF, UN Women, UNFPA, the World Bank as well as GIZ and other development partners, with a strong focus on advancing evidence-based policymaking through robust data systems, research, and alignment with international best practices.

He represented Nepal at key international platforms, including the UN General Assembly, the High-Level Political Forum in New York, and various dialogues held in Geneva, Thailand, India, China, and the Netherlands, among others. As a keynote speaker and session chair, he addressed a wide range of global issues—ranging from economic growth, decent jobs, migration, social protection, care economies to women’s rights, equity and justice, and SDG progress consistently advocating for inclusive and resilient development.

Dr. Phuyal brings over 20 years of academic and policy experience. He previously served as Associate Professor of Economics at CEDA (2013–2018) and as a faculty member in the Master’s Program in Economics at Patan Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University (2000–2005). He has taught a wide range of graduate-level courses including Microeconomics, Quantitative Techniques, International Economics, Industrial Economics, Managerial Economics, Development Economics, Game Theory, Macroeconomics, Tourism Economics, Graduate Research Project, and Research Methodology at Tribhuvan University and other academic institutions in Nepal and abroad. He has also supervised over 350 master’s theses and guided several PhD scholars across various universities.

Dr. Phuyal holds an M.A. in Economics from Tribhuvan University (2000) and received a competitive scholarship award in 2006 to pursue his Ph.D. in Economics at Chonnam National University (CNU), South Korea, which he completed in 2011. He subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at CNU’s Center for Regional Development in 2012. A recipient of several national and international honors, including the outstanding Ph.D. fellowship award, Dr. Phuyal has published over 50 academic and policy papers in peer-reviewed journals and led numerous research and development initiatives at both national and international levels.

M.A in Economics from Tribhuvan University (T.U,), Kirtipur, Nepal in 2000.

PhD. in Economics from Chonnam National University (CNU), South Korea in 2011.

Postdoctoral research at Center for Regional Development, CNU, South Korea in 2012.