Tribhuvan University (TU) is named after the late King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah Dev. It was founded in compliance with the Tribhuvan University Act, 1959. The university stands as a national institute of higher education.

The initial objectives of Tribhuvan University include preservation and development of historical and cultural heritage of Nepal and promotion of research. Tribhuvan University at present offers proficiency certificate, Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral (Ph.D.) programs. The university runs 61 campuses of its own and has 222 private campuses affiliated to it.

Tribhuvan University consists of four faculties, five technical institutes and four research centres as follows:

• Four faculties
  • Management
  • Humanities and Social Science
  • Education
  • Law
  
  
  
• Five Technical Institutes
  • Medicine
  • Engineering
  • Forestry
  • Agriculture and Animal Science
  • Science and Technology
  
  
  
• Four Research Centres
  • Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies (CNAS)
  • Centre for Economic Development and Administration (CEDA)
  • Research Centre for Educational Innovation and Development (CERID)
  • Research Centre for Applied Science and Technology (RECAST)

TU has institutional linkage with more than 113 universities and institutes around the world.

His Majesty King is the Chancellor of the University. The Pro-Chancellor is the Minister for Education. The Vice-chancellor is the principal administrator of the University. T.U. caters for well over 142,924 (including Ph.D.) students through approximately 5,967 Teaching, 2,189 Administrative, 2153 Technical and 2720 Utility staff. The central office of T.U. is at Kirtipur, Kathmandu.