Nepal Engineering College, popularly known as nec, was established in 1994 as a not-for-profit social academic institute under the initiative of seven philanthropists. The foundation of nec was laid by a group of visionary Nepalese professionals and academicians who realized the need of an institution serving the technical education needs of the country in areas of engineering and technology for accelerated economic growth, reaching to a wider section of Nepalese students and making the quality technical education accessible and affordable to the masses. nec is duly registered as a not-for-profit social institute at the District Administration Office, Bhaktapur. This pioneering example set by nec led to the establishment of a number of engineering colleges in the country in the private sector in the later years. nec is committed to retaining its long-earned reputation of “an institution with concerns for quality education and academic freedom”, again an example for others to follow.

Since its inception, nec has been constantly engaged in designing, upgrading, and standardizing the academic curricula and offering Bachelor's and Masters's level courses in engineering, technology, and allied disciplines. nec intends to continue with this initiative, offering more innovative and applied courses in the established and emerging areas in the days to come.

Initiated with limited physical and instructional resources, nec has now grown to an institution with its learning resources comparable to any institution of repute in the country and the region. The physical infrastructure and instructional resources, built-in 210 ropanies (10.69 ha) of land at the lap of world cultural heritage site Changunarayan Municipality in Bhaktapur, provide the ambiance of nature and an ideal learning environment.

Currently, nec offers Bachelor, Civil for Diploma Holders level courses as well as Masters degree programs. All the Bachelor's level courses are underway at the main campus at Changunarayan and Master's level courses at nec - Center for Postgraduate Studies at Prayag Pokhari, Lalitpur. B.E. Civil for Diploma Holders (nec-BDH) course is organized at Satdobato, Lalitpur.

Bachelor level courses

1. B. E. (Bachelor of Engineering) degree
   • Civil Engineering,
   • Electronics and Communication Engineering,
   • Computer Engineering,
   • Electrical and Electronics Engineering,
   • Civil and Rural Engineering, and
   • Civil Engineering for Diploma Holders
2. B. Arch. (Bachelor of Architecture) degree
   • Bachelor in Architecture

Masters level courses

• Construction Management (CM),
• Natural Resources Management (NRM),
• Interdisciplinary Water Resources Management (IWRM) and
• Transportation Engineering and Management (TEAM)

Board of Directors