HUC-HKH

Meeting between the USDA delegation from Michigan State University and the HUC at the ICIMOD
2024-05-20 | Kathmandu, Nepal, Nepal
About the meeting
A delegation of four distinguished scholars in the fields of agriculture sciences from Michigan State University (MSU) and Kathmandu University (KU) colleagues will meet with colleagues from the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) to understand the mutual interests, strengths, and needs in capacity development and bridging science-policy-practice for climate resilient agriculture and water-energy-food-ecology nexus in the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH). It is part of an exploration of the potential to host a Node in Bhutan and Nepal of the USDA Asia Hub, or to collaborate with the Node.
Objectives

Build mutual understanding of common interests, strengths, and needs in capacity development and bridging science-policy-practice for climate-resilient agriculture and water-energy-food-ecology nexus in the HKH.
It is part of an exploration of the potential to host a Node in Bhutan and Nepal of the USDA Asia Hub or to collaborate with that Node.

Participants
USDA Michigan State University

Dr Yadu Pokhrel, Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Dr Steven Pueppke, Professor and Senior Scientist, Asia Hub
Dr Jiaguo Qi, Professor and Director, Asia Hub
Titus Awokuse, Associate Dean for Research and Strategic Partnerships, International Studies and Programs

Kathmandu University

Professor Dr Bim Prasad Shrestha, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering

Himalayan University Consortium

Dr Chi H Truong (Shachi), Secretariat Lead, Ex-officio Steering Committee Member
Dr Chubbamenla Jamir, Co-Lead, Thematic Working Group on Mountain Agriculture (virtual participation)
Dr Graham (Grady) Walker, University of Reading, Co-Lead, TWG on Mountain Agriculture (virtual participation)
Dr Christina Justice, University of Maryland, Understanding Risk Himalayan Climate Data Field Lab, Kathmandu, 13 May – 7 June

International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

Dr Pema Gyamtsho, Director General, ICIMOD
Dr Babar Khan, Action Area Coordinator, Building Institutions for Regional Cooperation and Collaboration
Dr Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, Senior Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics Specialist, SERVIR, ICIMOD
Sravan Shrestha, Senior Associate, SERVIR, ICIMOD

Background
This meeting is a follow-up to a meeting on 14 February 2024, when a delegation of three USDA fellows and other KU colleagues, headed by the Chief of Scientific advisory committee to the Prime Minister of Nepal, visited ICIMOD.
About the organiser
The Himalayan University Consortium (est. 2007) has its mandate to develop an effective, sustainable network of universities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, in collaboration with academic research and knowledge-generating and exchange institutions both within and outside the region. This network engages top-notch professional women and men capable of undertaking high-quality research, education, teaching, and knowledge dissemination in service of a mountain-specific, sustainable, fair and inclusive development for HKH communities and adjoining mountainous areas. The Consortium’s eleven-member Steering Committee and a Secretariat coordinate with member institutions in network building, partnership enhancing, collaboration promoting, resource sharing and fundraising activities. The Secretariat is hosted by the ICIMOD and funded through the generous support of ICIMOD’s core donors: the Governments of Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

HUC Members’ Day in Bangladesh
2024-06-01 - 2024-06-03 | University of Chittagong, Bangladesh, Bangladesh
About the event
The Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) is organising an HUC Members’ Day in Bangladesh, with the aim of enhancing HUC membership in the country by:

Apprising the leadership of current HUC members about the development of the HUC, its Thematic and Cross-cutting Workgroups, and soliciting their input on regional and international cooperation in research and education on mountain and upstream-downstream climate, environmental, and socio-economic issues in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH)
Reconnecting with HUC fellows, updating them about innovative modalities for individual researchers and scholars to lead HUC activities, understanding their capacity needs, and scoping the resources they can contribute to building the network
Reviewing the implementation status of the HUC Strategy 2018-2025 and preparing for the transition to the 2026-2030 period
Discussing practical pathways to expand membership, enhance its quality membership, and mobilise in-country, regional, and international resources for scientific cooperation and education collaboration

The HUC Members’ Day will be hosted by the University of Chittagong and chaired by Professor Md Rezaur Rahman, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), who is also the HUC Steering Committee Member representing Bangladesh.

Background
Among the 163 universities in Bangladesh, seven are HUC members, with BUET and Chittagong University being the most active. Meanwhile, approximately 30 Bangladeshi fellows have been grant recipients and participants in HUC capacity-building activities to date. Some of the fellows, such as Dr Sara Nowreen (BUET), have played leading roles in HUC activities and represented the HKH community in global forums. Active Thematic and Cross-cutting Working Groups involve Bangladesh-based scholars and conduct activities in Bangladesh-based platforms, such as the Gobeshona Conference. However, the impact of these activities on the membership in the country remains limited. The most recent member engagement mission of the then HUC Steering Group and Secretariat took place at Chittagong University in April 2017.
On average, the Secretariat receives one or two applications for full membership from Bangladesh annually, mostly recommended by the HUC Steering Committee Member representing or the focal person for Bangladesh at ICIMOD. Individual responses to HUC open calls for participation remain from medium to high as a result of the extensive mailing list the Secretariat maintains. Overall, knowledge about HUC, its mandates, activities, and mode of operation, and the impact and outreach of the HUC activities, among higher education institutions in Bangladesh remain limited.
The current size of the HUC membership is disproportionate to the scale of climate change, environmental, and socio-economic issues faced by the upstream and downstream communities in Bangladesh and the potential of research expertise and resources the country can offer. Furthermore, the country hosts important regional and international high-level bodies on climate change such as the Climate Vulnerable Forum. It is a home of significant south-led initiatives, most notably the International Centre for Climate Change and Development and BRAC. These organizations and societal forces in Bangladesh present an important opportunity for the HUC community to learn from and build on for its productivity and sustainability.

PROPOSED AGENDA
SPEAKER PROFILE

Inception meeting of the HUC Thematic Working Group on Mountain Food Systems
2024-06-03 - 2024-06-06 | BRAC, Savar, Bangladesh, Bangladesh
About the event
The inception meeting will identify priority areas of the Thematic Working Group (TWG) on on Mountain Food Systems and will develop a work plan for the TWG.

Background
The Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) Thematic Working Groups (TWGs) are member-led, self-funded and self-organising clusters working on specific thematic areas that are significant in the region. The TWGs work together to promote regional collaboration in research and training for sustainable mountain development by enhancing the networking and partnership amongst institutions and providing the opportunity for joint research activities, curriculum development, training, and capacity building.
In the Himalayan region, food production and consumption are intertwined with culture, livelihood and the environment. Local food systems are critical in sustaining the communities in the region due to poor mobility and limited market access arising from topographic limitations. Studies have shown that the region faces food insecurity. Further, the difficult mountainous terrain and poor access to basic amenities make the food system vulnerable to natural hazards and climate change. Research and development on agriculture and the entire food system in the region are often based on the mainstream knowledge which is often built upon experience from the plains. Thus, there is a need to develop the knowledge base on mountain food systems and develop curriculum in higher studies that is sensitive to the needs of the mountain food system.
Mountain Food Systems is one of the newest TWG of the HUC is set up to serve as a platform for collaborating on research, capacity building and training on food systems in the region.

Promoting sustainable mountain tourism for climate–resilient future and green circular economy
2024-06-11 - 2024-06-13 | Kohsar University Murree, Pakistan, Pakistan
About the writeshop
This policy writeshop brings together relevant stakeholders representing governments, private sectors, researchers, civil society organisations, and community members from Pakistan, China, and Nepal to brainstorm and formulate policy briefs. This activity builds on the 2023 stock take exercise on mountain tourism and climate change, (aligned with the UNFCCC’s 2023 Synthesis Report on GST and TPCC’s Tourism and Climate Change Stocktake 2023) conducted by in Nepal and Pakistan by ICIMOD.
ICIMOD is also collaborating with country–based partners in translating research findings on mountain tourism and climate change into information/documents relevant to decision–makers. In line with this, the writeshop will engage in a focused yet interactively designed consultation, discussion, and writing process to come up with relevant policy documents.
The policy writeshop will also focus on these key questions:

What is mountain tourism and what sensitivities does it carry to climate change?
What is green tourism and how does it respond to climate change impacts, the net carbon emissions and resilience building agenda? What policies can promote it?
What characterises the circular economy and what policy measures should be implemented to encourage its adoption?
What are the essential guidelines for promoting climate–resilient and low–carbon mountain tourism?

These questions were derived from a review of mountain tourism in the policy documents of the federal and regional governments of the HKH countries and Pakistan specifically, which highlighted a significant gap in areas related to mountain tourism and its interface with climate resilience, low carbon tourism and circular economy.

Objectives

Build the capacity of selected country representatives to develop concrete, policymaker–focused recommendations relevant to the national or sub–national contexts
Provide support to develop policy briefs highlighting policy, research, and knowledge gaps, as well as barriers and bottlenecks to promote mountain destination sites that are climate–resilient and low carbon in their footprint
Bring together academics, policymakers, and relevant stakeholders to facilitate knowledge exchange, establish a common understanding around climate change and mountain tourism and circular mountain economies, and produce sector–specific, regional–specific, and destination–specific policy briefs
Build political awareness on the importance of sustainable mountain tourism that is green, inclusive, and climate–resilient and sensitize relevant stakeholders for effective policy brief design and their implementation.

Expected outcomes

Establishment and capacity building of the core team on green, inclusive, and climate–resilient mountain tourism
Provision of policy guidelines for different regions of Pakistan (Gilgit Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, and Punjab Province) and Nepal – for sustainable mountain tourism. All regions are autonomous in policymaking and implementation.
Three region–specific, concise, and action–oriented policy briefs for Pakistan

Background
While tourism suffers from and contributes to climate change, accounting for 8–10% of global emissions. In HKH region, countries such as Pakistan and Nepal, are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, faces challenges with hazards and increased carbon emissions from its tourism, particularly in mountain regions. In Pakistan, despite government’s commitments to international agreements, tourism lacks priority in climate action plans. There is a huge gap in tourism planning and policy, and effective implementation mechanisms to make mountain tourism green, inclusive, and climate resilient. This calls for urgent action by key mountain tourism stakeholders at all levels of decision–making – regional, provincial, and national levels. Creating an enabling environment, especially through the provision of need based, contextualized and collaborative policy decisions is an important step in this direction.

Developing a road map for an Asian Highland Pastoralist Network and for a working group on rangelands
2024-09-01 - 2024-09-07 | Sichuan, China, China
About the event
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), under the aegis of the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) and Rangeland Management Intervention, is working with Lanzhou University and the Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), to organise a series of activities in the rangeland and pastoral areas of China as part of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) in 2026. Among them is the workshop on ‘Developing a road map to establish an Asian Highland Pastoralist Network for resilient pastoralism and sustainable rangeland management’ to be held in Sichuan from 1–7 September 2024. It will bring together academia, decision-makers, practitioners, and entrepreneurs related to pastoral development in Bhutan, Nepal, India, China, and Pakistan. This will also feature learnings from the recent technological innovations in China’s yak industry.

Objectives

To establish a HUC thematic working group on rangelands.
To develop a road map for an Asian Highland Pastoralist Network to be launched in IYRP 2026.
To promote regional exchange of knowledge, experiences, and best practices related to rangelands and pastoralism (involving pastoral cultures, rangeland management, yak herding, yak value chain development, etc.).

Expected outcomes

Formation of a HUC thematic working group by outlining its functional modality and work plan for the period of 2024-2026.
Drawing up of a road map for an Asian Highland Pastoralist Network by IYRP 2026.
Facilitation of capacity building and exposure of policymakers, scientists, and entrepreneurs from Bhutan, Nepal, India, and Pakistan on yak value chain development in China for advocacy and uptake in their respective countries.

Background
The rangelands make up 60 per cent of the 4.3 million square kilometres of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). They play a vital role in the livelihoods of pastoralists and agro-pastoralists; but unfortunately, many of them live in absolute poverty. Yak herding is one of the primary production systems that makes the best use of these rangelands. However, over the past decade, there has been a drastic decline in yak population across the HKH. This has been due to difficult and fragile terrains, impacts of climate change, and socio-economic drivers – all limiting the competitiveness of the yak systems. Besides, yak herders are a marginalised and neglected section with no concrete policy reaching out to them; nor are they targets of investment. And there is no dedicated institution to develop yak keeping as an industry. Moreover, these problems are not well-voiced at local, national, regional, and international forums. Groupings such as federations, associations, cooperatives, and networks are known to provide platforms for collective actions and negotiations. So, learning from some of the successful global forums such as the World Reindeer Herders, ICIMOD set up yak herders’ networks in Nepal and Bhutan, and discussions are under way to initiate the same in India and Pakistan. The aims of the networks are to: preserve, protect, and promote yak farming and yak genetic resources in the HKH; exchange knowledge and experience on yak value chains and relevant technologies across the HKH; address the common issues and challenges faced by the herding communities and represent them at the national, regional, and global platforms; provide voice and platform for yak farming communities for policy support, investments, and engagement with multiple stakeholders; and promote mutual understanding and friendship, as well as celebrate the rich pastoral culture and tradition among yak herding communities across the region. Moving forward, as we approach the year 2026, the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, we intend to incorporate additional dimensions into the yak networks, including forging a community of practitioners dedicated to advancing the cause of rangeland- and pastoralism-based enterprises in the Himalaya. We also expect the proposed an umbrella organisation of the Asian Highland Pastoralist Network to be formed from the HKH yak networks, HKH rangeland societies, and HKH pastoralist entrepreneurs’ networks. This larger network will be a platform to exchange ideas, knowledge, and technologies, and will also help in product development, standard setting, branding, and aggregation of resources and products. At the same time, Lanzhou University, an active member of HUC, along with ICIMOD, is planning for a thematic working group meeting on the rangelands in China. The spotlight of the meeting will be on the pastoral regions of Hongyuan country in north-west Sichuan province. The region has developed robust pastoral/rangeland economy that has successfully integrated into the globalised world. These areas have extensive experience in managing and restoring rangelands by leveraging a blend of traditional knowledge and modern technology.

Meeting of ICIMOD-HUC Joint Task Force on HUC Management Structure and Secretariat Hosting Arrangements
2024-09-08 - 2024-09-11 | Kathmandu, Nepal, Nepal
About the event
The Meeting in Kathmandu on 8-11 September is the only in-person meeting of the Joint Task Force (JTF), aiming to produce the first draft of the four documents as key JTF deliverables, to be reviewed by the HUC Steering Committee in its second (e)-Meeting in 19-20 September.

Objectives

Discuss and draft four documents as the deliverables of the JTF
Interact with ICIMOD’s senior management and professionals to evaluate the feasibility of collaboration
Interact with HUC’s key stakeholders in Nepal to understand members’ needs and expectations and gauge resource mobilizing potential in the country

Expected outcomes

The first draft of four documents, to be submitted to the HUC Steering Committee for review at its e-meeting, 19 September 2024.
Understanding of the potential for and practicalities of collaboration between HUC and ICIMOD
Preliminary assessment of the potential for resource mobilization in one of the Hindu Kush Himalayan countries, Nepal

Expected participants
On-site participants are the six JTF members, including the two Co-Chairs, and the HUC Secretariat Lead, plus the Chairperson of the HUC Steering Committee (ICIMOD DG, for Opening and possibly Closing). On-line participants are invited speakers from global partners of the HUC.

Mr. Shekhar Ghimire, Director of Administration, Finance and Operations, ICIMOD, Co-Chair
Professor Dr. Rosalind Cornforth, Director, The Walker Institute, University of Reading, Steering Committee Member, Associate Members – North America/Europe, Co-Chair
Ms. Izabella Koziell, Deputy Director General, ICIMOD, Member
Professor Dr. Attaullah Shah, Vice Chancellor, Karakoram International University, Pakistan, Member
Dr. Wang Wenling, Assistant Professor, Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, China, Co-Lead of Water Thematic Working Group, Member
Dr. Jakob F. Steiner, University of Graz, Austria, Co-Lead of High Mountain Data Crosscutting Work Group, Member
Dr Chi H Truong (Shachi), HUC Secretariat Lead
Dr Pema Gyamtsho, Director General, ICIMOD, HUC Steering Committee Chairperson

Selective guests from HUC members and fellows in Nepal will be invited to a roundtable discussion, followed by a Reception Dinner.

Background
The ICIMOD HUC Joint Task Force on HUC’s Management Structure and Secretariat’s Hosting Arrangements (JTF) was established following one of the key decisions made by the HUC Steering Committee at its meeting on 18 April 2024 in Kathmandu. The purpose of the JTF is to define what autonomy means for the Himalayan University Consortium in the context when its Secretariat is hosted by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and operationalize autonomy by several measures as follows:

a detailed guideline that will include measures for establishing an autonomous human resource and financial management system, a separate bank account, and a separate working space for the HUC, based on the ICIMOD’s existing management framework;
a roadmap for HUC’s transitions toward being an autonomous entity;
a draft of an institutional agreement between ICIMOD and the HUC regarding hosting arrangements of the HUC Secretariat;
an outline for HUC resource mobilization with a specific timeline.

About the organisers
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development hosts the Meeting, facilitated by the HUC Secretariat.

PROPOSED AGENDA

Himalayan University Consortium Steering Committee Second Meeting of 2024
2024-09-19 | Online
Background
The Steering Committee is the Himalayan University Consortium’s (HUC) highest governing body. The committee’s meetings set the course of action for the consortium for the calendar year and track the progress of the implementation of HUC Strategy 2018–2025.
The second meeting of HUC SC for 2024, convened on an exceptional basis, is critical for an update of the progress made by the ICIMOD-HUC Joint Task Force (JTF) on HUC’s Management Structure and Secretariat’s Hosting Arrangements. SC will review and comment on the Working Draft of the HUC Transition Roadmap drafted by the JTF.
In addition to important decisions to be made regarding the governance of the Consortium (amendments to the Bylaws 2018), the implementation of the transition to autonomy (2025-2026), and resource mobilization during the transition period, the SC will review the candidacy of nominations from Bangladesh (2) and Pakistan (1) and make recommendation for incoming SC Members representing Bangladesh and Pakistan (one each), starting in January 2025.

Objectives

HUC Steering Committee members will review and provide comments and input on the Working Draft of the HUC’s Transition Roadmap Position Paper, prepared by the ICIMOD-HUC Joint Task Force on HUC’s Management Structure and Secretariat’s Hosting Arrangements.
SCM will discuss the implementation of the Transition Roadmap and assign specific roles to SCMs:

A member of the selection panel for recruitment of HUC Secretariat staff;
Lead of governance consolidation group: consolidate membership, draft amendment to Bylaws 2018, HUC Strategy 2018-2025 review and stakeholder consultation process for post-transition Strategy (2028 onward);
Lead of resource mobilisation group;
Lead of communication strategy group, including review of HUC website and portal.

SCM will discuss members’ business items:

Consolidation of SC governance by selecting upcoming SC Members representing Bangladesh and Pakistan, starting January 2025
Maintenance of momentum and boosting membership quality among country-based hubs in Nepal, Pakistan, and China and refreshing membership in India and amongst associate members in Europe/North America and Asia Pacific.

SCM will discuss scheduling of quarterly e-meetings of SC and schedule of key activities in 2025.

Inception Meeting of Thematic Working Group on Sustainable Mountain Settlement
2024-10-24 - 2024-10-30 | Yunnan, China, China
About the event
An inception meeting of a new Thematic Working Group on Sustainable Mountain Settlement of the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) is being organized in Yunan, China aligning closely with the ICIMOD’s intervention on Sustainable Mountain Settlement. The event will gather altogether 20 academia and researchers in the fields of spatial planning, architecture, landscaping, ecotourism and natural resource management from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan in a three-day field-based learning and sharing with the Chinese experts. The participants will visit a range of settlements of different altitudes, population sizes and geological and socio-cultural characteristics in Yunnan (China) to learn of the best practices for a sustainable mountain settlement. The deliberation during the excursion will serve as a foundation to co-develop a context specific work plan for the next two years in the selected countries that contributes to develop sustainable and resilient mountain settlements.
Objectives

Mutual Knowledge Sharing and Experience Exchange: The event aims to create a two-way exchange of knowledge, and experiences related to sustainable mountain settlements. Participants from both Yunnan, China, and the Hindu Kush Himalayan countries will share best practices, lessons learned, and innovative approaches. This collaboration will enrich the collective understanding of sustainable settlement strategies across diverse geographical and socio-cultural contexts.
Benchmarking for Future Field-Based Learning Programs: The event will establish benchmarks for best practices that will guide future Field-Based Learning programs aimed at government officials and practitioners. These benchmarks will help ensure that sustainable mountain settlement practices are both context-specific and adaptable across regions, laying the groundwork for practical applications in different countries.
Platform for Identifying Needs and Developing a Collaborative Work Plan: The event will provide an inclusive platform where stakeholders from all participating countries can identify gaps in knowledge, skills, and practices in sustainable mountain settlement. Through this collaborative process, participants will discuss the potential formation of a Thematic Working Group (TWG). If established, the TWG will develop a work plan for 2025-2026, aligning closely with ICIMOD’s Mid Term Action Plan V (MTAPV) result framework and addressing the specific needs of sustainable mountain settlements in the region.

Expected outcome

Co-developed Inter-regional Collaboration Proposal with joint workplan (2025-2026) and clear collaboration opportunities among academic institutions, experts, and practitioners aimed at sustainable mountain settlement development outcomes closely aligning to ICIMOD’s MTAPV result framework. This can be achieved through functional TWG and cross-border collaborative projects or regional initiatives too.

Expected participants
Fifteen participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan are nominated from HUC university members. ICIMOD’s Intervention on Sustainable Mountain Settlement under the Strategic Group 2 “Resilient Mountain Economies and Landscapes” and HUC team will provide regional facilitation and a team of experts from the Yunnan University will provide country-based support.
Background
Globally, urban populations grew by more than 397 million people between 2015 and 2020, with more than 90% of this growth taking place in less developed regions (IPCCC AR6 report). In Hindu Kush Himalaya, the rate of built-up area expansion is 1.7 times higher than the population growth rate between 2000 and 2020 (ICIMOD, unpublished). Rapid urbanization, along with increasing population, demands systemic transitions to climate-resilient sustainable development. However, current resources are substantially insufficient to support the timely action needed. Mountain settlements, characterised by unique geographies and environments are particularly vulnerable, facing the severe impacts from climate change and other socioeconomic and environmental changes. These settlements vary greatly in cultural heritage, size and population, ranging from small villages or hamlets to large towns and cities.
Unplanned urbanization in mountain settlements have led to loss of vernacular architecture and traditional skill set, increased waste and pollution, overextraction of resources, and heightened pressure on biodiversity, water, energy supplies, as well as access to critical services and sanitation systems. Additionally, the exposure to climatic hazards and disaster incidents are increasing due to unplanned urbanization and socioeconomic development trends, such as rural-urban migration and growing inequality, leaving mountain communities and settlements continually vulnerable and at risks.
Nevertheless, mountain urban spaces are critical to meet the development aspirations, while also presenting opportunities for achieving deep emissions reductions and advancing climate resilient development when well planned and executed. Several adaptation and mitigation strategies could be considered in settlement development, focusing on climate change impacts and risks (e.g., integrating climate services in settlement design and planning), compact urban forms, co-location of jobs and housing, public transport, active mobility (e.g., walking and cycling), and the efficient design, construction, retrofit, and use of buildings. Other strategies include reducing and changing energy and material consumption; material substitution; and electrification in combination with low emissions sources (IPCCC, AR6 report). Green/natural and blue and grey infrastructure, either independently or combined, can supports carbon uptake and storage, reduce risks from extreme events such as heatwaves, flooding, heavy precipitation and droughts, and generate co-benefits for health, well-being and livelihoods.
The Thematic Working Group on Sustainable Mountain Settlements will develop a joint work plan (2025–2026), aligned with ICIMOD’s AA-C3 intervention, focusing on the integration of climate-resilient planning in mountain settlement development. The group aims to understand the complex interactions between built up environments, human system, and climate impacts in the HKH region. A key emphasis will be on the rural-urban connection and planned urbanization in peri-urban and rural mountain settlements to support sustainable and resilient infrastructure (particularly buildings) development. Additionally, the group will work towards identifying collaboration opportunities through the Interregional Collaboration Proposal, bringing together academic institutions, experts, and practitioners to enhance knowledge exchange that enables cross-border collaborative projects and regional initiatives aimed at achieving sustainable outcomes without compromising development aspirations of the mountain people.
AGENDA

Multispecies Migration in the Climate Changed Himalayas
2024-11-11 - 2024-11-14 | Bhutan, Bhutan
The symposium takes the form of a two-year project that encompasses capacity-building, a workshop/ conference, field-research, and collective publication. A key-event is a multiple-days, in-person workshop in Thimphu, Bhutan that will consist of technical sessions, methodological discussions, guest-lectures, and the streamlining and planning of publication goals. The symposium is open to scholars working in the HKH region. Scholars from or based in the HKH region will be given first priority in terms of travel and research funding. Selection will take place through a competitive process. In the selection process, priority will be allotted to indigenous, female, early career scholars, and to applicants applying from institutions that are members of the HUC network.
The direct outputs are:

A high-quality collective publication (i.e. special journal issue, book-publication, policy brief),
Generating interdisciplinary alliances across the HKH around the theme of climateinduced migration
Developing a curriculum on climate migration that can be shared across the HUC network, and
Capacity-building of Himalayan and early career scholars through, variously, conferencing, individual supervision, substantive feedback, and language enhancement.

Public Keynote Lecture
As part of this symposium, the globally acclaimed Professor Willem van Schendel, University of Amsterdam, will deliver a key-note address titled: ‘Sapiens and Others: A Multitude of Mobilities’ on Tuesday 12 November, 9.30AM in the auditorium of RTC.

Meeting between HUC leadership and APAARI Secretariat
2025-02-06 - 2025-02-08 | Bangkok, Thailand, Thailand
About the event
The meeting between the Executive Director of the Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) and the leadership of the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) will focus on exchanging knowledge and experience in institution-building, governance, and strategies for organizational transformation toward greater independence and sustainability.
Objectives

Identify potential areas of synergy and discuss collaborative modalities that align with the missions and visions of both APAARI and HUC.
Strengthen professional ties and build a foundation for future cooperation to address common challenges and opportunities in agricultural research and development.

Expected outcomes

Mutual learnings on institution building, governance, and strategies for organizational transformation toward greater independence and sustainability.
Concrete pathways and modalities for cooperation between APAARI and HUC.

Expected participants
HUC Delegation

Professor Dr. Attaullah Shah, Vice Chancellor Karakoram International University, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan, Chairperson, HUC Steering Committee
Professor Dr. Sara Nowreen, Institute of Water and Flood Management, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka, Member representing Bangladesh, HUC Steering Committee
Dr. Chi Huyen Truong, Executive Officer, HUC Secretariat, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)

APAARI Secretariat

Dr. Ravi Khetarpal, Executive Director
Dr. Margaret Yoovatana, Advisor
Mr. Manish Rai, Head of Operations
Ms. Samitha Manohar, Partnership and Membership Manager
Homaira Jahan Sonam, Technical Officer
Sokharath Samnang, Executive Assistant
Thansita Tanaphatrujira[Possibility of 2-3 Online (Members/Partners)]

Background
The Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) was established in 1990 as an initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Since the mid-2000s, APAARI embarked on a journey of transition to autonomy in both legal status and financial independence. The transition period (2017-2023) took numerous and intensive deliberations within APAARI membership and between APAARI leadership and FAO. In 2024, after 4 years since FAO discontinued its financial support, APAARI has transformed into an autonomous organization – with the pipeline legal status (Q-IGO) registered with the Government of Thailand – and financial independence. In 2023, APAARI gross revenue stood at USD1,253,000, 19% of which came from membership subscriptions, 75% from invoiced project income, and 5% from grants and donations. Between July 2023 and June 2024, APAARI organized 61 technical and stakeholder engagement events, co-organized 16, and attended 112 key regional and global meetings.
APAARI maintains its core values of being apolitical, membership-based, and multi-stakeholder engaging. Its Executive Committee consists of 12 Members. The Secretariat Office, located in Bangkok, consists of 7 staff members and 3 consultants. APAARI’s 10th Constitution revised membership categories to include UN Member States and Associate Members (both Inter-governmental organizations and international organizations). ICIMOD is a good-standing member of APAARI and pays its membership due regularly.
At the virtual presentation delivered to the JTF on Tuesday 10 September, Dr. Ravi Khetarpal, Executive Director of APAARI, suggested HUC’s and ICIMOD’s leadership, if interested, to define the mechanism for the HUC benefits from the same legal status as APAARI. The HUC can consider joining APAARI as an Associate Member or an Alliance. Another possible option is to sign a tripartite agreement between APAARI, ICIMOD, and the HUC. Through the agreed mechanism, the HUC can continue its branding while participating in APAARI activities and projects and jointly mobilize resources. Other operational matters of hosting the Secretariat and financial management will need to be discussed between the two organizations.
About the organisers
The HUC Secretariat coordinates the visit, which is graciously financed by ICIMOD and hosted by the APAARI Secretariat.
Agenda
Rapporteurs: Chi Huyen (Shachi) Truong & an APAARI colleague

Time
Programme

11:00–11:30
Coffee and Informal Welcome– APAARI Secretariat

11:30– 11:45
Introduction and Purpose of the Meeting–APAARI and HUC

11:45–12:45
Session 1: Activities of APAARI (Followed by Q&A)

Membership & Partnership
Role in Asia Pacific
Ongoing Activities
Challenges of APAARI

12:45-13:45
Group Photo & Lunch

13:45-14:45
Session 2: Activities of HUC (Followed by Q&A)

Membership – institutional & individual
Communities of Practice (Thematic & Cross-cutting Workgroups)
Capacity development
Mode of operations
Process of transition to autonomy/ independence

14:45-15:45
Session 3: Collaboration modalities & pathway (Moderated by both HUC & APAARI)
Open discussion on matching mandates, institutional partnerships, a strategy of collaboration

15:45-16:00
Comfort Break

16:00-16:30
Way Forward & Closing Remarks (Dr. Attaullah Shah & Dr. Ravi Khetarpal)

Remote sensing for hazard monitoring and modelling in High Mountain Asia
2025-05-05 - 2025-05-08 | ICIMOD Headquarters, Kathmandu, Nepal

Lumbini to Lo Manthang (L2L): Planetary health across the Himalaya
2025-05-16 - 2025-06-09
About the event
The 2025 Fieldschool, titled Lumbini to Lo Manthang (L2L): Planetary health across the Himalaya caters to a diverse group of undergraduate students from environment, engineering, the humanities and health of Duke University, Duke Kushan, and member universities of the HUC aiming to examine how global change is impacting human health and well-being. The fieldschool highlights the critical need for this diverse set of stakeholders – students, faculty members and policymakers – to understand the acute impacts of climate change on health and environmental and socio-economic well-being and the diverse climate zones of Nepal provide an excellent natural laboratory.

The three-week field-based programme will begin in the Terai region (100 above sea level) and end at the Tibetan Plateau (4,000 masl), involve two domestic flights, many hours on coaches and in Jeeps, with an average 2-4hour field visit each day. The starting point of the journey is Lumbini, the birthplace of The Buddha, in the hot, flood-prone Terai to participate in a NGO- run health camp near the epicenter of the 2015 Gorkha earthquake (1,000 masl), then take a new road into the heart of the Himalaya to learn how global change is impacting biodiversity in this home of blue sheep, pallas cats and the elusive snow leopard (3,500 masl). Students and faculty members will then trek to a storied Hindu pilgrimage site (3,800 masl) and ending at the Tibetan Plateau in the rainshadow of the Annapurna range where 3,000 year old villages (Dhye and Sam Dzong) are being relocated due to climate change. At each stop, fieldschool members will examine climate data, meet with local officials and gain insights from Nepali and foreign researchers and experts on the nexus of global change (climate + land use/land cover), development and human health and well-being. Fieldschool participants will also learn how locals are navigating more sustainable solutions to their challenges in the Planetary Health framework.
Objectives
Each stop along the Climate & Health+ transect will consider how global change is impacting the health and well-being of communities in these broad geographic regions. Students in the first iteration will help us design a course where participants will be better equipped to

Understand the complex interactions between communities and environmental changes in geology, water resources, atmosphere and biodiversity.
What are the factors that contribute to climate disaster risk and response, and how this understanding informs more sustainable solutions for resilience building.
How the environmental determinants of health and well-being can be attributed to the various aspects of these rapidly changing systems.
Document examples of sustainable land restoration practices that support the natural systems that provide much-needed ecosystem services to communities.
Better understand the trends around development, human migration, tourism, urbanization, transportation and food systems.
How Indigenous knowledge, religion and ethnicity impact people’s understanding of disasters and how these views impact sustainable solutions.
Engaging with community stakeholders including youth groups, women’s groups, religious leaders, business leaders/entrepreneurs, politicians and policymakers.

Expected outcomes

Participants’ first-hand field-based experience and knowledge of the intricate interdependency and complex interactions between communities and environmental changes in geology, water resources, atmosphere and biodiversity, environmental determinants of health and well-being, factors that contribute to climate disaster risk and response, and how Indigenous knowledge, religion and ethnicity impact people’s understanding of risks.
Participants’ firm grasp of key concepts and methods of stakeholder engagement, documentation, and storytelling as part of the co-production of knowledge and co- design of sustainable solutions in land restoration practices, natural and cultural heritage conservation, and climate resilience building.

Expected participants
Participants are 18 undergraduate students, enrolled from Duke University and Duke Kunshan (DKU) Environment, Engineering and Global Health, Yunnan University (China), and Nepal-based institutions. Faculty members from Duke and its partners, HUC members (Himalayan Institute for Alternative, Ladakh), and Nepal’s hosting institutions, the Institute of Himalayan Risk Reduction, Forum for Energy and Environment Development, National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), and Varagung Muktichhetra Rural Municipality (VMRM). Invited speakers come from various institutions in Nepal, especially in the localities along the fieldschool’s route, and the International Centre for Intergrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).
Background
The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region, known also as the Third Pole, is one of the largest mountain systems in the world, extending from Hindu Kush in Afghanistan to hills and mountain systems of Myanmar. With 18.23% of its landmass under snow cover, the HKH has the largest reserves of ice outside the polar regions. The HKH region is home to 240 million people, with a further 1.65 billion people that reside along the river valley downstream. The region provides significant economic benefits to the 8 regional member countries (RMCs), through ecosystem services and livelihood opportunities. Its potential to bring prosperity and address sustainable development goals (SDGs) is very high.
However, the HKH region is facing major sustainability challenges from socio-economic and climate change impacts. To the vulnerable stakeholders (local communities, government, business and service providers), the impacts are real and devastating. The long-term impacts of such challenges are not only overheating atmosphere beyond 1.5 degree, but are also undermining development progress and exacerbating climate injustice. There’s an urgent need for global-regional-local collaboration to restore and protect ecosystems and services, alongside safeguarding biodiversity and mountain economy, along with enhancing the capacity of the stakeholders to respond to risks. However, there’s a huge gap in terms of understanding the emerging risks and availability of the relevant knowledge to take climate actions.
The Himalayan University Consortium Student Mobility and Faculty Exchange (SMFE) Task Force was established in April 2024 and met in the Royal Thimphu College, Thimphu, in November 2024. A Concept Note on Eco-Leadership Field School (ELFS): Advancing Resilient Practices in the HKH was endorsed by the HUC Steering Committee at its e- meeting in December 2024. The primary objective of ELFS is to empower local leaders, youth, and professionals with the knowledge and skills to implement environmentally responsive practices and policies, ensuring the ecological and social resilience of the HKH region. The ELFS has the following specific objectives:

Exposure to critical Planetary issues
Bridging technical knowledge with human experience
Encourage interdisciplinary exchange
Forster mutual respect and understanding, and
Address climate change impacts

The ELFS is structured to provide dynamic, hands-on, and interdisciplinary learning experience. It will collaborate with universities and research institutes within each field school host country to ensure alignment with local expertise, scientific resources, and academic network. EFLS will be hosted in rotating locations across selected transects within the HKH region, enabling participants to explore diverse ecosystems, cultural practices, and climate challenges.
About the organisers
Duke University is the premier institution that integrates environmental science, engineering and health (along with policy, business, law and even divinity) to address the problems associated with complex global changes. The topographic, climatic, ecologic, economic and cultural diversity of Nepal offers a singular living laboratory for students from Duke and the Himalayan region to see these intersections in all real-world messiness. Under the auspices of Duke’s Climate Commitment, a Climate & Health+ project aims to benefit Environment and Global Health students at Duke and Duke Kunshan, as well as students of public policy, engineering, and biology and pre-med students from across various majors of these institutions.
Forum for Energy and Environment Development (FEED) P. Ltd. is one of the leading consulting companies in Nepal initiated by the Engineers’ and development planners’ with a vision of providing the best research and consulting services in developing the risk- informed societies. FEED is driven by strong and diverse professionals with proven expertise and experience in handling large and complex projects across sectors.
A Research Institute established with an objective of assessing and understanding the risk to contribute to sustainability. Complying with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), the Institute of Himalayan Risk Reduction envisions understanding the risk and application of interdisciplinary knowledge with technologies to contribute to risk reduction and bridging between academic research with professionals and policymakers for sustainability. Team IHRR believes in coupling the enthusiasm and ambition of youth, with its lack of fear and innovative techniques, with the gardened knowledge of experience to work for the change. The team consists of professionals with expertise and experiences in the field of disaster risk management in understanding the risk, conducting academic research, and field-level implementations in Nepal and different parts of the world.
The Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) is a network of universities, research institutions, and researchers and scholars in the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) and outside the region. The HUC’s mandates are to enable regional academic collaboration and nurture generations of scholar-leaders for sustainable mountain futures. The Consortium works to strengthen the connection between knowledge-generating and decision-making institutions, creating new opportunities for inter- and trans-disciplinary and transboundary research collaboration and enhancing mountain-specific research.

Programme Details

HUC virtual session at Oxford-UNHR Global Climate Summit
2025-06-05
The Himalayan University Consortium is proud to be a partner in a worldwide education coalition in support of the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit.
The 4 – 7 June Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit hosted by United Nations Human Rights and the University of Oxford will take place virtually and in person in selected locations. The cornerstone of the summit is a 24-hour global plenary, which will be co-delivered by universities and partners across the world and broadcast live across time zones on 5 June. The summit will bring together thought leaders,communities, youth activists, Indigenous Peoples, and scientific, political, educational, cultural and industry experts from around the world for keynote addresses and panels exploring how climate change impacts fundamental rights, including the right to food, safe water, housing and health.
Scientific data about the Hindu Kush Himalaya and advanced technology-enabled methodologies and tools are increasingly available, local communities have documented and communicated their climate change-induced experience and adaptation practices, and more policies have been formulated based on scientific evidence. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of climate action remains limited and decisions continue to be made elsewhere outside of the local communities without the best available science.
In a HUC-led virtual session titled Engaging Community, Science, and Decisionmakers in Human Rights-Based Climate Action – a Himalayan Experience, four panelists – a community-based practitioner, a scientist, an Indigenous knowledge-holder-cum-advocate, and a scientist-cum-policymaker from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal will share the best practice of their work and how it is aligned with the rights-based responses to climate change. Each panelist will pose a thought-provoking question for their peer, aiming to identify the conceptual and practice gaps that need to be bridged to ensure risk-informed decision-making and meaningful climate action.
The session will feature a four-way conversation among speakers to reflect on what works and what doesn’t to ensure that climate action is informed by human rights, including the right to benefit from scientific progress and its applications and serves those most affected by climate change. It raises questions beyond access to information and the best available science. By pointing to the need to invert the construction of climate information through bottom-up, community-led knowledge co-production and solution co-design, the session seeks to emphasize the importance of anchoring science in society and the role of stakeholders in setting the research agenda. A genuine and productive partnership between the community, academia, and policymakers is key to ensuring risk-informed decision-making for meaningful climate action.
Learners and educators of all ages, from primary school classrooms to university research labs, are invited to engage in this event through the Right Here, Right Now Education Coalition. Registration is open to all.
Speakers

Gitanjali Angmo
Sonam Wangchuk
Shohel Chandra Hajang
Archana Shrestha

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Gitanjali Angmo
Founder and CEO, Himalayan Institute of Alternative, Leh Ladakh, India
An entrepreneur turned educator, Gitenjali is passionate about creating an environment that empowers learners and facilitators to become the best versions of themselves. Gifted in multiple disciplines such as business, education, performing and martial arts, she believes that human beings can contribute to grow into multi-faceted individuals throughout their lives, and the aim of education is to instill this lifelong quest for learning and progressing.

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Sonam Wangchuk
Cryosphere Specialist, ICIMOD
Sonam Wangchuk is a Cryosphere Specialist at ICIMOD, with extensive experience in satellite and field-based cryosphere research, particularly in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) and Arctic regions. Before joining ICIMOD, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Sonam holds a PhD through a joint program between the University of St Andrews, UK, and the University of Zurich, Switzerland. He also earned an MSc from Warsaw University of Technology, Poland, and a BSc from the Royal University of Bhutan. His research focuses on understanding the dynamics of permafrost, glaciers, and the broader cryosphere to support sustainable mountain development and climate resilience in the HKH.

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Shohel Chandra Hajang
Human Rights Programme Officer, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)
Shohel Chandra Hajang is the Human Rights Programme Officer at the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP). He belongs to the Hajong Indigenous community in Bangladesh and is an Executive Member of the Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum.
Shohel holds a Master of Development Practice from James Cook University in Australia and has over 10 years of experience in human rights advocacy for Indigenous Peoples at the national, regional, and international levels.

He is also actively involved in strengthening the Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Defenders (IPHRDs) network in Asia and works to enhance the solidarity, cooperation, and capacities of Indigenous Peoples across the region. His efforts focus on promoting their rights, cultures, identities, and sustainable resource management systems.

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Archana Shrestha
Deputy Director General, Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Government of Nepal
Dr. Archana Shrestha is Deputy Director General at Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) of Nepal. As a head of Climate Division, she is responsible in leading scientific analysis of state of the climate and climate change and in delivering seasonal prediction and climate services of Nepal. She also worked as a focal person for the Adaptation to Climate Change for the Ministry of Population and Environment, a focal point of UNFCCC and IPCC. She was a technical coordinator of study on “Observed Climate Trends of Nepal (2017) and Climate Change Scenarios of Nepal (2018) as a part of National Adaptation Plan. She also participated in the Sagarmatha National Sambaad 2020 as a panelist in the Panel Discussion titled “ Ambition for 1.5 degree Celsius: Urgency for Action for Action in Mountains and Beyond: Way Forward for the Future of Humanity”.
Under her leadership, DHM is transforming traditional weather forecast and climate products to user friendly climate services for anticipatory actions for weather hazards and climate resilient Nepal. She has coordinated with National Emergency Operation Center and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority of Ministry of Home Affairs and other Ministries and their departments in providing weather forecasting and warning services in addition to public weather service for the Anticipatory Actions in the country. As a Chief of Agrometeorology she played a lead role starting weekly weather information and weekly weather forecast and weekly Agrometeorological Advisory for Farmers Nepal in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture Development and National Agriculture Research Center (NARC). She was a coordinator of field study team and one the editors and lead authors of the First recorded Bara-Parsa Tornado Study. She also led a number of community-based weather-related disaster management and climate modelling research projects, of Asia Pacific Network (APN), United Nations Institute for Training And Research (UNITAR). She also worked as a Junior Associate on regional climate modeling in the Abdus Salam International Center of Theoretical Physics, Italy and conducted research on Regional Climate Modeling for South Asia.
She completed her PhD in Atmospheric Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA under the Fulbright International Science and Technology PhD Program. She did Masters in Science from University of Guelph, Canada and Tribhuvan University, Nepal in Hydrology and Meteorology.
Currently, she a Board member of the Fulbright Commission, Nepal and life member of Society of Hydrologist and Meteorologists, Nepal. She is also a founding Member of the South Asian Meteorological Association (SAMA) and South Asian Forum of Agriculture Meteorology (SAFOM) and a nominated member (Nepal) of the Scientific Advisory Committee, BIMSTEC Center for Weather and Climate. She has contributed to the number of joint papers and chapters in books related to weather and climate sciences. In addition, she is a recipient of academic awards: Crown Prince Youth Science and Technology Award-2005/06, Mahendra Bidhya Bhushan Award, 1998, Nepal Bidhya Bhushan Award-2018.

Regional collaboration for sustainable mountain tourism: policy and knowledge exchange field school and writeshop
2025-06-26 - 2025-07-03 | Kagbeni, Mustang and Pokhara, Nepal

Climate change and migration
2025-08-04 - 2025-08-09 | Dhulikhel, Nepal, Nepal
The HUC Academy is one of HUC’s flagship programs that provides opportunities for researchers to engage in interdisciplinary and complex mountain challenges. The HUC Academy aims to strengthen the capacities of researchers, scholars, and mid-career faculty to better understand the interlinkages between climate change and migration in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. It seeks to foster a new generation of transformational leaders committed to mountain research, capable of producing consequential and innovative knowledge, evidence to support mountain policies, and practices to address mountain challenges in the HKH. The Academy will also create space for collaborative research development, peer learning, and navigating international and interdisciplinary research partnerships. The HUC engagement will help ensure that research and education frameworks are both robust and responsive to the present and future challenges of climate and migration in the HKH region.

HUC’s Transition: From ICIMOD to Kathmandu University
2025-12-10 | ICIMOD Headquarters, Kathmandu, Nepal
About the event
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) will celebrate the relaunch and handover of the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) to the Kathmandu University (KU) and the announcement and presentation of the Dr. Andreas Schild Memorial Mountain Prize 2025. This celebration is a dedicated event marking the International Mountain Day 2025.
Background
The Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) was established by ICIMOD in 2007 as a collaborative network of universities and academic institutions across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region to strengthen research, education, and knowledge exchange and lead sustainable mountain development in this unique yet fragile region. Since its inception, ICIMOD has hosted the HUC Secretariat and funded its activities, helping the consortium grow into a network of over 100 universities from within and outside the HKH region.
Over the past two and a half decades, HUC has made significant strides in fostering academic partnerships, supporting early and mid-career researchers, and advancing mountain-focused research and education. However, an independent evaluation of HUC and SANDEE, in 2023, strongly recommended realigning HUC governance, communication, and accountability with ICIMOD goals. Following this, the ICIMOD’s Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) recommended in December 2024 that HUC transition to an autonomous network and collaborate as a partner with ICIMOD and provided a clear roadmap for HUC’s transition.
Kathmandu University (KU) expressed its willingness to host the HUC Secretariat, reinforcing its long-term commitment to advancing regional academic collaboration as was originally envisaged in HUC’s ideation. ICIMOD and KU have agreed to transfer the HUC Secretariat from ICIMOD to KU to support its continued growth and impact.
Therefore, ICIMOD, have planned to celebrate this momentous occasion by organising a Relaunch and Handover Ceremony of the HUC Secretariat at ICIMOD Headquarters on 10 December 2025, to reaffirm our shared commitment to HUC’s future as a self-sustaining, regionally owned, and globally connected Knowledge Consortium for the people of the HKH region.
This event will also mark the International Mountain Day with the announcement and presentation of the Dr. Andreas Schild Memorial Mountain Prize 2025. The mountain prize is an annual flagship ICIMOD award, which seeks to find champions of nature in our region, reward their work, and accelerate their impact by raising their profile.
Objectives
This event aims to:

Commemorate HUC’s journey towards its envisaged vision of an independent knowledge network for the HKH region,
Acknowledge and appreciate those who contributed their time, knowledge and wisdom to HUC,
Reaffirm our shared commitments to further strengthen HUC’s knowledge contributions to the mountain people and the environment,
Ink an MOU between ICIMOD and KU for the formal transfer of the HUC Secretariat from ICIMOD to KU, and future collaboration, and
Appreciate the individuals who dedicated their work in mountain development through the announcement and presentation of the Dr. Andreas Schild Memorial Mountain Prize 2025.

Participants
Some 40-50 participants, including KU and ICIMOD leadership, Vice Chancellors of the HUC member universities from the region, members of the former HUC Steering Committee, Chair and members of the ICIMOD Programme Advisory Committee, ISG Chair and Co-chair, donors (i.e., World Bank, SDC, and NORHED, etc), PAC, winners of the Dr. Andreas Schild Memorial Mountain Prize 2025, jury, SMC and regional media representatives will be invited to this event.
Programme Agenda
