PREreview of Digital learning Initiatives, Challenges and Achievement in Higher Education in Nepal Amidst COVID-19

The authors examined the experience of online learning among higher education students in Nepal, as the Covid pandemic reduced opportunities for face-to-face education. Among a sample of students who responded to an online survey, they identified the issues faced by the students and explored some variables that were associated with satisfaction with online education. The authors went on to discuss the potential benefits of online education and what steps might be taken to improve delivery and access to online higher education in Nepal. I found this a thoughtful and important paper, of value to the higher education sector in Nepal and elsewhere.

Major issues

• My only major issue is the lack of an understanding of the generalisability of the findings, due to potential bias in survey responses. We are not told of how the sampling frame was established, what was the size of the random sample drawn and hence the response rate. This can easily be corrected by describing what was done and including a section on study limitations in the paper.

Minor issues

• I would have liked to see a research question or hypothesis stated - this helps with working out the appropriateness of the analysis.

• I would have liked to know if the questionnaire was piloted before use.

• I found the age distribution strange, and wonder how the categories were developed.

Competing interests

The author declares that they have no competing interests.