Dr. Chandan Acharya, Associate Professor and MS Program Coordinator in the Department of Management at the Lucille and Jay Chazanoff School of Business, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award. As part of this internationally respected program, Dr. Acharya will spend six months beginning next week at Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM) in Nepal, conducting groundbreaking research on how learning environments in Nepali workplaces support innovation and adaptability.

Dr. Acharya’s project will explore the current state of organizational learning environments in Nepal and examine the key factors that influence a firm’s capacity to innovate across diverse market and organizational contexts. His research will include collaboration with Nepali scholars and involve surveys and interviews to collect data directly from local businesses. The goal is to better understand how workplace learning, leadership support, and organizational culture can drive innovation in the region.

“My firsthand observations during professional experience in Nepal, combined with years of literature review in my past research, revealed an opportunity to further strengthen the culture of scientific research and evidence-based practice within Nepali organizations,” said Dr. Acharya. “This realization motivated me to pursue the project.”

The Fulbright award is a meaningful milestone in Dr. Acharya’s academic journey and a testament to the impactful work being done by CSI faculty on a global scale. “This honor is both deeply meaningful and motivating,” he said. “It serves as a recognition of my past work in this field and as a strong affirmation that the proposed project is worthwhile and achievable. It renews my commitment to research, teaching, and service to the academic community—the core of what we do as faculty members.”

In addition to advancing research, Dr. Acharya views this opportunity as a chance to deepen international partnerships. “I am committed to contributing to the academic community in Nepal through meaningful collaboration,” he said. “As part of this Fulbright opportunity, I hope to build strong, long-term relationships with Nepali scholars and help develop a platform for sharing research findings with industry leaders.”

Dr. Acharya’s remarkable achievement continues to foster the connection between CSI and the global academic community. The College has a proud history of producing Fulbright U.S. Scholars, being ranked second in the nation among master’s-level institutions in 2016–2017, and receiving national recognition in 2023 and 2024 as a Fulbright Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Leader by the U.S. Department of State. In March, CSI was among Fulbright’s Top Producing Scholar Institutions list and recent CSI graduate Katherine Yenna was named a part of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, having proposed an independent research project to investigate how NGOs in Tunisia enhance the employability of their youth through training and entrepreneurship initiatives.