PCE campus has a number of car parks. Park 1 is on the left side of the Heritage Centre and on the right side of the campus main road, only 100 metres from the College main gate (Gate 1). Car park 2 is located on the right side of Gate 2 and there is a fruiting walnut tree on the east side of the car park. Cark park 3 is located just below the Manjushree Lecture Hall and about 3 minutes walking distance from the library, IT labs and the faculty offices. Car park 4 is about 200 metres from the College Guesthouse and about 3 minutes walk from the academic and administrative blocks. Car park 5 is in the Rinpung campus and is just 3 minutes walking distance from the ECCD Centre, academic blocks and the faculty offices in the Rinpung campus. Car park 6 is in the student residential area and next to the Student Dining Hall. Currently no parking fees are charged. In the future, however, when parking policies are put in place, visitors (other than College Guests) will be charged parking fees.
Paro College of Education has two main campuses – Nangka Choeling and Rinpung. A number of facilities are located in the Nangkar Choling campus such as the Heritage Centre, academic blocks, faculty offices, library, Sport Laboratory, IT labs, Cafeteria, bookshop & reprographic unit, student residences, gymnasium and other sporting facilities, Manjushree lecturer hall, Happiness & Wellbeing Centre, Centre for Educational Research & Development, and the administrative block, among others. Perched beautifully on the banks of Pachu river, this campus is well connected with the local community especially the villages of Chang Nangkar, Chang Dungkar, Taju, and Khangkhu.
Several other facilities are based on the the Rinpung campus including the Centre for Early Childcare and Development (ECCD) Studies, academic blocks, car park 5, Rinpung Lecture Hall, student residences, and faculty offices. From this campus, the famous Rinpung Dzong, Ta-dzong the National Museum, the beautiful cantilever bridge, and the Paro town are at a walking distance.
From both Nangkar Choeling and Rinpung campuses, it only takes about 5 to 10 minutes drive to get to Paro International Airport, Paro town, Rinpung Dzong, district hospital, medical shops, Ta-dzong the National Museum, restaurants, hotels and resorts, shopping centres, and the vegetable markets. The Tak-tshang (Tiger’s Nest) base, world renowned heritage site in Bhutan, is only 20 minutes drive from these two campuses. The campuses are both wifi-connected.
Paro College of Education has grown steadily and kept pace with domestic and global trends in education since its establishment in November 1975. There have been significant milestones over its past four and a half decades of development.
Nov 1975: Established as a pre-school care teacher training centre (TTC).
Jun 1985: Primary Teaching Certificate (PTC) programme introduced.
Feb 1993: 18-month teaching certificate programme for Dzongkha Teachers launched.
Aug 1999: Bachelor of Primary Education Studies (for Dzongkha and English) launched.
Nov 1999: Her Majesty Gyalyum Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck inaugurated the new academic blocks at Nangkar Choeling campus.
Jul 2000: Erstwhile Teacher Training Centre (TTC) upgraded to National Institute of Education (NIE).
May 2001: Centre for Educational Research and Development (CERD) launched.
Jan 2002: Master of Education in Leadership & Management launched as a part-time programme.
Aug 2002: Bachelor of Secondary Education programme launched.
Sep 2003: NIE Paro became a constituent College of Royal University of Bhutan (RUB).
Jul 2006: NIE Paro renamed Paro College of Education.
Jan 2006: Bachelor of Education (Dzongkha) launched and offered through part-time mode.
2006:Royal University of Bhutan Sports Federation established with its Secretariat at PCE.
Feb 2007: Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Dzongkha) launched.
Jan 2012:Bachelor of Primary Education (part-time) programme introduced.
Jan 2014: Master of Education (part-time) for Dzongkha teachers launched.
Jan 2015: Diploma in Physical Education & Sports Coaching launched.
Jan 2015: Diploma in Early Childcare and Development (part-time) launched.
Aug 2019: The Rinpung Experiment launched as a discursive platform for exchange of knowledge and opinions about education and development.
Feb 2020: Master of Education in Inclusive Education launched.
Feb 2020: Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Dzongkha) launched as an 18-month programme with a system of three-tier teaching practicum/professional experience.
Jul 2020: Bachelor of Primary Education Studies (Dzongkha) launched as a four-year programme with new modules in Bhutanese traditional music and mindfulness meditation introduced.
Feb 2021: Master of Education in Primary English, Social Studies, Science and Mathematics Education launched.
PCE is committed to building a rich network of meaningful educational partnerships in teaching, research and student mobility aimed to promote cross-cultural understanding and mutual respect, exchange of knowledge and experience, and global citizenship. Our tie-ups with external teacher education institutions and other organizations are guided by our core belief in and commitment to the need for mutual respect and benefit and friendship based on trust. Pursued through letters of agreement, memoranda of understanding and other pathways, we have a wide network of collaborations with institutions in Bhutan and outside in Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States.
Our domestic and global linkages help us and our partners to engage in mutual learning, co-creation of knowledge, and learning from each other’s best practice scenarios especially in teaching, student learning, research and cultural exchange. These efforts collectively contribute towards developing and raising the quality of teacher education curricula, pedagogical practices and the quality of student learning. Our current partners include:
Bhutan Board for Certified Counsellors (Bhutan)
Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy (Bhutan)
Bhutan Institute of Wellbeing (Bhutan)
Bhutan Olympic Committee (Bhutan)
Edith Cowen University (Australia)
Ministry of Education, Royal Government of Bhutan
Ministry of Labour & Human Resources, Royal Government of Bhutan
Naropa University (United States)
National Commission for Women and Children (Bhutan)
Palacky University in Olomouc (Czech Republic)
Royal Education Council (Bhutan)
Tarayana Foundation (Bhutan)
UNFPA Bhutan
UNICEF Bhutan
University of Birmingham (UK)
University College Leuven-Limburg (Belgium)
University of Education Heidelberg (Germany)
University Institute of Maia – ISMAI (Portugal)
University of New England (Australia)
University of Technology Sydney (Australia)
Vrije University Amsterdam (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
A Leader in Educational Innovation and Progressive Growth Fostered by Excellence in Teaching, Research and Cultural Heritage.
PCE Mission
To achieve excellence in teacher education, research, and learning technologies that are relevant to schools in Bhutan and the World.
To prepare teachers who are competent, passionate, committed, and well regarded practitioners and leaders in education.
To foster research informed educational innovation, knowledge creation and professional practices relevant to school education.
To offer academic programmes and research services that are responsive to the changing needs and aspirations of society.
To meet the lifelong learning needs of in-service teachers, educators and other educational professionals through professional learning courses that are current, flexible, and rigorous.
To produce research that impacts education policy and contributes to the improvement of educational practices within PCE and in the schools.
PCE Objectives
As one of the leading teacher education colleges in the country, Paro College of Education will make sustained efforts to:
Be a preferred destination for Bhutanese and international students for teacher education and professional development.
Produce graduates who are recognized for their knowledge and competence by employers and higher education institutions within and outside the country.
Gain reputation for the quality and standard of its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and policy relevant research.
Be a model higher education institution where programmes, professional practices and services reflect the values of GNH.
Be known for its state-of-the-art facilities and comprehensive student support services.
Create a growth-oriented and enabling work culture and values that motivate existing staff and attract talents.
Be known as an institution driven by a culture of educational innovation and progressive growth.
Provide its students authentic immersion programmes for cultural knowledge and experience.
Paro College of Education is a constituent College of Royal University of Bhutan. Built on the lap of the stunningly beautiful and treasurable Rimpung Dzong, it was established on 4th November 1975 as a pre-school care teacher training centre (TTC), in the current Rinpung campus in Paro, a place known for its rich history, culture and Buddhist heritage. Its founding as a premier teacher training establishment symbolized the Royal Government of Bhutan’s commitment and effort to develop a self-reliant and sustainable education system for the kingdom. The launching of TTC demonstrated yet another of the Royal Government’s bold but wise step in its development journey. On the day of its founding, TTC had only eight female students and a demonstration school.
The College has two main campuses – in Rinpung and Nangka Choeling. The latter was inaugurated by Her Majesty Gyalyum Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck on 18th November 1999. TTC was renamed National Institute of Education (NIE) in 2000 with the introduction of its first bachelor’s programme in education. Following its merger with the Royal University of Bhutan established by a Royal Decree in June 2003, NIE in 2006 became Paro College of Education.
Today the College offers diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and Masters programmes in the high priority areas of early childcare and development, primary education, secondary education in Dzongkha the national language, health and physical education, inclusive education, and educational leadership studies. The programmes are taught through two pathways – fulltime and part-time modes. PCE has a team of academic staff who are active in research and provides policy and programmatic support to government agencies and civil society.
