Sherubtse College was the first accredited
college in
Bhutan, founded in 1966 by a group of
Jesuits under the leadership of
William Mackey. As of 2003 it became part of the newly created
Royal University of Bhutan system that comprises all public post-secondary schools in Bhutan.
Sherubtse College is located near the small town of
Kanglung in the dzongkhag of
Tashigang in eastern Bhutan.
The Royal Government of Bhutan hires about two thirds of the
Sherubtse graduates while the remainder have to find work in the private
sector or working for
non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
History of the College
The 3rd king of Bhutan,
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck laid the foundation stone for Sherubtse School in June, 1966. The school opened in 1968 with Father
William Mackey
as principal. In 1976 the school was upgraded to a Junior College with
pre-university courses in science. In 1978 the arts and business courses
were added.
In July 1983, Sherubtse College became an affiliated college of the
Delhi University system in
India and Father
Gerald E. Leclaire S.J. was the first principal. Several
Jesuits of Canadian origin taught English and Science. Jamie Zeppa's "
Beyond the Sky and Earth" provides a detailed account of her experiences teaching at Sherubtse College.
In June 2003 the school was combined with 9 other institutes of higher learning to form the
Royal University of Bhutan.
The departments of business and economics are to be transferred to the
Royal Institute of Management (RIM) over the next several years.