HUC-HKH

Storying climes of the Himalaya, Andes, and Arctic: Anthropogenic water bodies, multispecies vulnerability, and sustainable living
2021-10-09 - 2021-10-14 | Online via MS Teams
Organizers: Himalayan University Consortium; In partnership with My Climate Risk, a lighthouse activity of World Climate Research Programme (WCRP)
Co-hosted by Royal Thimphu College (Royal University of Bhutan) and Yunnan University
Himalayan University Consortium in partnership with My Climate Risk, a lighthouse activity of World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) organizes a publishing workshop – Storying climes of the Himalaya, Andes, and Arctic: Anthropogenic water bodies, multispecies vulnerability, and sustainable living. Details of the publishing workshop are given below.
Context
The Himalaya, the Andes, and the Arctic/tundra play a critical role in the hydrological cycle of the earth with their waters (in both solid and liquid forms), and in shaping multispecies habitats and cultural heritages within the biospheres fed by their waters. At the same time, they are experiencing new risks and degradation due to global climate change, such as melting ice, species extinction, and radical transformations of ecosystems and livelihoods. As a global outreach effort of the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) for comparative studies of climate change in the earth’s altitudinal and latitudinal highlands, this workshop invites social and natural scientists, humanities scholars, graduate students, and development specialists to share their interdisciplinary-intended documentations and discussions of historical and contemporary narratives of climate knowledge in habitat-specific life communities in these three world regions.
Workshop and publication formats
Consisting of 4-5 thematic sessions, the workshop is a combination of thematic keynote talks by prominent scientists and scholars, individual presentations of original research papers, and peer discussions. The workshop organizers are committed to co-exploring the multifaceted meanings of clime and climate change, and creatively co-producing comparative implications from the interdisciplinary thought-exchanges among participants in both theoretical and policy terms. At the conclusion of the workshop, the designated publishing editors will work closely with participants to revise their papers for publication as a journal special issue or an edited book. Please refer the event brochure for details on the keynote speakers and conveners.
Topical themes
Framed by the interconnected topical themes of water bodies (glaciers, lakes, and rivers), multispecies vulnerability (humans, animals, plants, culturally animated landforms, and traditionally revered deities and supernatural beings), and knowledge of sustainable living (local and global), we welcome papers addressing, but not limited to, the following topics contextualized in watery climes: indigenous histories of water, human affective consciousness of water, climate knowledge in indigenous meteorology, local memories as proxies of climate change, local climate knowledge absent the word “climate”, climate incarnate as seasons and weather, mountains as water bodies, the Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau as a monsoon maker, geopoetics of glaciers, nonhuman nations/geographies, multispecies relational ontology, the Little Ice Age (1300s-1800s) and human/nonhuman migrations, modern hyperseparation of water and land, anthropogenic effects of modern borders, conservation values of indigenous animistic landforms and water bodies, water as an agent of environmental peacebuilding, and emerging new environmental ethics. CONCEPT NOTEAGENDA

Conveners

Dan Smyer Yu
Kuige Professor of Ethnology, Yunnan University
International Faculty Member, University of Cologne
Dan Smyer Yu is the Kuige Professor of Ethnology, School of Ethnology and Sociology and the National Centre for Borderlands Ethnic Studies in Southwest China at Yunnan University, and an international faculty member of the University of Cologne, Germany. He received his Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of California at Davis in 2006. Currently he is the co-lead of HUC’s Thematic Working Group on Himalayan Environmental Humanities, an elected board member of International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, a member of the Advisory Board of Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology, and the Series Editor of Routledge Environment, Multispecies Indigeneity and Borderland Series. He is the author of Mindscaping the Landscape of Tibet: Place, Memorability, Eco-aesthetics (De Gruyter 2015), and the co-editor of Trans-Himalayan Borderlands: Livelihoods, Territorialities, Modernities (Amsterdam University Press 2017), Environmental Humanities in the New Himalayas: Symbiotic Indigeneity, Commoning, Sustainability (Routledge 2021), and Yunnan-Burma-Bengal Corridor Geographies: Protean Edging of Habitats and Empires (Routledge 2021).

Arupjoyoti Saikia
Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Arupjyoti Saikia is the Professor of History in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati. His teaching and research interests are in the field of Assam’s economic and environmental history. A post-doctoral fellow of Yale University, he has held visiting fellow positions at Cambridge University; University of London; Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla; and University of Calcutta.
His book The Unquiet River: An Environmental History of the Brahmaputra (Oxford University Press, 2019) was short-listed for Kamala Devi Chattopadhayay Book Award in 2020 and long listed for Atta Galatta– Bangalore Literature Festival Book Prize. This book got Honorable Mention for Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy Book Prize in 2021 by the Association of Asian Studies. Saikia’s other published works include Forests and Ecological History of Assam, 1826-2000 (Oxford University Press, 2011) and A Century of Protests: Peasant Politics in Assam since 1900 (Rutledge, 2014).

Jelle J.P. Wouters
Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences
Royal Thimphu College
Jelle J.P Wouters is a social anthropologist and the Associate Professor at the Department of Social Sciences, Royal Thimphu College, Bhutan. He holds an M.Pil. in social anthropology from the University of Oxford and a Ph.D. in anthropology from the NorthEastern Hill University, Shillong, where he was also a Wenner-Gren grantee. Prior to joining RTC in 2015, he taught at Sikkim Central University, India, and was a visiting faculty at Eberhard Karls University of Tubingen, Germany, under the “Excellence Initiative” of the German Research Foundation. He is the author of In the shadows of Naga Insurgency (OUP 2018) and Nagas as a society against voting and other Essay (Highlander Books 2019), and the co-editor of Nagas in the 21st Century (Highlander Books 2017) and Democracy in Nagaland: Tribes, Traditions, and Tensions (Highlander Books 2018).
Keynote profiles

Sunil Amrith
Renu and Anand Dhawan Professor of History
Department of History, Yale University
Sunil Amrith is the Renu and Anand Dhawan Professor of History, and current chair of the South Asian Studies Council. His research focuses on the movements of people and the ecological processes that have connected South and Southeast Asia. Amrith’s areas of interest include environmental history, the history of migration, and the history of public health. He is a 2017 MacArthur Fellow, and recipient of the 2016 Infosys Prize in Humanities. Amrith’s most recent book, Unruly Waters (Basic Books and Penguin UK, 2018), was shortlisted for the 2019 Cundill Prize, and was reviewed in Nature, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Review of Books. His previous book, Crossing the Bay of Bengal: The Furies of Nature and the Fortunes of Migrants (Harvard University Press, 2013) was awarded the American Historical Association’s John F. Richards Prize in South Asian History in 2014, and was selected as an Editor’s Choice title by the New York Times Book Review. He is also the author of Migration and Diaspora in Modern Asia (Cambridge University Press, 2011), and Decolonizing International Health: South and Southeast Asia, 1930-1965 (Palgrave, 2006), as well as articles in journals including the American Historical Review, Past and Present, The Lancet and Economic and Political Weekly. Amrith serves on the editorial boards of the American Historical Review and Modern Asian Studies, and he is one of the series editors of the Princeton University Press book series, Histories of Economic Life.

Astrid Oberborbeck Andersen
Associate Professor of Techno Anthropology
Aalborg University, Denmark
Astrid Oberborbeck Andersen is the Associate Professor of techno-anthropology at Aalborg University. Her research centers on human environment relations and how to make anthropological perspectives matter in interdisciplinary research on ecosystems, environmental relations, and climatic crises, as well as in public life. Her research is based on detailed and critical ethnography, and she has extensive fieldwork experience in Peru and Greenland. She has published on themes such as water politics, wildlife and environmental management, technologies and controversies, and multispecies relations. She is a coeditor of the book Anthropology Inside Out. Fieldworkers taking note (Sean Kingston Publishing 2020) and the forthcoming anthology Rubber Boots Methods for the Anthropocene: Curiosity, Collaboration, and Critical Description in the Study of Multispecies Worlds (University of Minnesota Press, 2022). Since 2018, Astrid is chairing the board of Antropologforeningen i Danmark, the Danish Anthropology Association. Anderson holds a PhD in social anthropology from the University of Copenhagen.

Karsten Paerregaard
Professor Emeritus of Anthropology
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Karsten Paerregaard is the Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at School of Global Studies. University of Gothenburg, where he took up the position as chair Professor of Social Anthropology in 2012. He has previously worked at University of Copenhagen and the Danish Institute of International Studies. Paerregaard has been the principal investigator of several research projects and been granted research funding numerous times in Sweden and Denmark. He has also been research fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington DC and at Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study, Uppsala and has twice been visiting Professor at University of Florida. Paerregaard’s ethnographic field research has been centered in Peru where he has worked for almost 40 years.
It also includes multi-sited fieldwork among Peruvian migrants in North America, Southern Europe, Japan, and Argentina and Chile. Paerregaard’s research interests and publications cover such topics as ecology, water and irrigation, livelihoods, social organization, power and inequality, religious denominations, ritual activities, ethnicity and indigeneity, and cosmology and offering practices.
Currently, his research is focused on the intersection between migration, environment, climate and culture in the Peruvian Andes. His books include Linking Separate Worlds. Urban Migrants and Rural Lives in Peru, Berg (1997); Peruvians Dispersed. A Global Ethnography of Migration, Lexington (2008); and Return to Sender. The Moral Economy of Peru’s Migrant Remittances, UC Press(2015). He has recently completed a book manuscript titled Andean Meltdown. A Climate Ethnography of Water, Power and Culture in Peru, which examines the impact of climate change on water management and mountain worship in the Peruvian Andes and which currently is reviewed by an American university press. Paerregaard has also published extensively in international journals, recently in HAU. Journal of Ethnographic Research (2020), Environmental Communication (2020), Water International (2020), Water Alternatives (2019), Climate and Development (2018) and WIRE’s Water (2018).

From global to local: Bringing meaning to climate change through storylines
2021-08-20 | Online via MS Teams
About the lecture
As part of his lecture series during the HUC Summer School – Bringing meaning to statistical practice in climate science using R, Professor Ted Shepherd FRS, will be speaking on climate change in local and global contexts, and discussing ways to bring meaning to climate change at the local scale in the form of “storylines”.
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From Ted Shepherd –
Climate change is a global phenomenon, driven by global forces. Yet for each of us, climate change manifests itself at a local scale, and is shaped by the particular and contingent nature of our local environment, including its human-managed aspects. As one proceeds from the global to the local scale, the physical principles that are so powerful for providing a scientific explanation of climate change at the global scale lose much of their explanatory power. The Indian scholar Sheila Jasanoff has argued that the process of abstraction in climate science “detaches knowledge from meaning”. The Indian writer Amitav Ghosh suggests that in order to represent the “uncanny” nature of climate change, we need to tell stories, which are a traditional form of meaning-making in particular and contingent situations. In this lecture I will describe some ways of bringing meaning to climate change at the local scale in the form of “storylines”.
Attendance is limited and by invitation only. If you are interested in attending, please register here.

About the speaker
Theodore Shepherd FRS
Grantham Professor of Climate Science, Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, UK
Theodore (Ted) Shepherd is a climate scientist who specializes in large-scale atmospheric dynamics, including atmospheric circulation regimes. In recent years, his interest has focused on how to characterize the uncertainty in this aspect of climate change, including extreme events, which led to the development of the ‘storyline’ approaches. Shepherd is engaged in inter-disciplinary collaborations and the challenge of bringing meaning to climate information. He also co-leads World Climate Research Programme’s new Lighthouse Activity ‘My Climate Risk’, in which HUC is a collaborating partner.
My Climate Risk
My Climate Risk is an activity that develops and mainstreams a ‘bottom-up’ approach to regional climate risk, starting from the decision context and enables relevant climate information to be brought into that context. The term ‘risk’ here refers to the combination of hazard, vulnerability and exposure that is particular to a given regional context. By developing a new framework for assessing and explaining regional climate risk using all the available sources of climate information, the activity aims to make climate information meaningful at the local scale. While the application of the framework will be specific and tailored to local concerns, it will also be generic, flexible and applicable across a number of region types and is intended to become a much-needed support for the development of climate services.

About the dicussant-and-moderator
Ulka Kelkar
Director, Climate Programme, World Resources Institute (WRI) India
Ulka Kelkar is an economist with two decades of experience in climate change research, capacity building and outreach. She leads WRI India’s work on climate policy which aims to support India’s pathway to a climate-resilient low-carbon economy through judicious national policies, carbon market mechanisms, and effective implementation in states and cities. Before joining WRI India, she worked as a consultant climate assessment specialist for the Asian Development Bank, and as a research fellow at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE).

Agenda

Time
Programme
Speakers

13:45–13:50
Welcome and introduction
Chi H Truong (Shachi),
Programme Coordinator and Secretariat Lead, The Himalayan University Consortium, ICIMOD

13:50–14:50
From global to local: Bringing meaning to climate change through storylines
Ted Shepherd FRS,
Grantham Professor of Climate Science, University of Reading, UK

14:50–15:00
E-break

15:00–15:45
Roundtable discussion: Local perceptions of climate change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
Moderated by:
Ulka Kelkar,
Director, Climate Programme, World Resources Institute (WRI) India
Panelists
Shahrin Mannan, Programme Coordinator-Resilience Programme, International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), Dhaka, Bangladesh
Om Katel, Dean, Research and Industrial Linkages, College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan
Santosh Nepal, Water and Climate Specialist, Water and Air, ICIMOD, Nepal

Bringing meaning to statistical practice in climate science using R
2021-08-18 - 2021-08-26 | Online and in-person
Objective
The Himalayan University Consortium’s (HUC) intensive summer school programme aims to provide participants with an overview of key statistical concepts in environmental science, and hands-on experience in the use of statistical methods for weather and climate data analysis using R.
Participants will learn how to apply statistical methods and R to analyze weather and climate data of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH).
The Summer School will be held over seven days, punctuated by a self-study break. The programme is also expected to serve as a springboard for the HUC Thematic Working Group on My Climate Risk, as part of the WCRP’s Lighthouse Activity of the same name, in which HUC is a collaborating partner.
Expected participants
HUC’s Summer School caters to undergraduate students of advanced years or MSc/ME/MA students who have completed at least one course in statistics, and who are interested in pursuing study in climate science. The programme is also open for students and early-career faculty members who wish to sharpen their analytical and critical thinking skills and meaning-making in the use of statistics.
HUC’s Summer School caters to undergraduate students of advanced years or MSc/ME/MA students have completed at least one course in statistics, and who are interested in pursuing studies in climate science. The programme is also open for students and early-career faculty members who wish to sharpen their analytical and critical thinking statistical skills.
This training is open to students from Bhutan, Nepal, and Pakistan. From each country, fifteen participants will be selected on the basis of merit.
The summer school is free of charge for selected participants. Those who are willing to travel and stay at the in-person locations during the programme will be provided with modest logistics support.
Female students and faculty and members from under-represented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Platform and in-person sessions
The programme will adopt a hybrid modality – combining online lectures and in-person sessions at the co-hosting institutions. Ted Shepherd will be delivering virtual lectures. In-person sessions in Bhutan will be conducted by Dechen Lhamo Gyeltshen, supervised by Om Katel, Niraj Poudyal in Nepal, and Lubna Naz in Pakistan.
The in-person component will be organized with COVID-19 precautions in consideration of participants’ health and safety. We will implement social distancing norms during the programme and expect that participants will follow all public health guidelines and take personal safety precautions.

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Instructors/Facilitators

Theodore Shepherd FRS
Grantham Professor of Climate Science
University of Reading, UK
Theodore (Ted) Shepherd is a climate scientist who specializes in large-scale atmospheric dynamics, including atmospheric circulation regimes. In recent years, his interest has focused on how to characterize the uncertainty in this aspect of climate change, including extreme events, which led to the development of ‘storyline’ approaches. Shepherd is engaged in inter-disciplinary collaborations and the challenge of bringing meaning to climate information. He also co-leads the World Climate Research Programme’s new Lighthouse Activity ‘My Climate Risk’.

Dechen Lhamo Gyeltshen
University of Reading
(In charge at the CNR Campus, Bhutan)
Dechen Lhamo Gyeltshen is a third-year student, studying BSc Meteorology and Climate at the University of Reading, UK. She graduated from Yangchenphug Higher Secondary School (Thimphu, Bhutan) in 2017, with a focus on science and math. Following her passion for space weather and extra-terrestrial meteorology, Gyeltshen pursued Meteorology, while also picking up an interest in programming (Python and R) and climate change studies.
She will be a teaching assistant to Ted Shepherd for this summer programme.

Om Katel
Dean, Research and Industrial Linkages
College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan
Om Katel teaches courses on natural resources management, statistics, climate change adaptation and mitigation, integrated watershed management, and other related courses on environmental conservation. He is also a visiting researcher at the Nagoya University, Japan, and a fellow of HUC’s Asia Pacific Water Leadership Programme in April 2018, which was funded by South Asia Water Initiative II (The World Bank). Katel has a wide range of research interests and substantial experiences in conservation and management, climate change adaptation, and the dynamics of ecosystems linking climate change and development.

Niraj Poudyal
Assistant Professor of Econometrics,
Program Coordinator (Economics) Kathmandu University School of Arts
Niraj Poudyal teaches econometrics and macroeconomics at the graduate and undergraduate level. His research areas include statistical adequacy of dynamic stochastic general equilibrium, and dynamic models based on multivariate student’s t distribution and time series analysis. Poudyal also teaches R with econometrics and data visualization sessions and developed R packages for estimating models. He has extensive experience in running computationally heavy simulations in R for identification tests and risk forecasting in financial markets. He authored the book ‘Disability Atlas for Nepal’ with GIS mapping techniques within R. Poudyal is a PhD graduate from Virginia Tech, USA with a focus on econometrics.

Lubna Naz
Assistant Professor at Department of Economics
Institute of Business Administration Karachi, Pakistan
Lubna Naz teaches advanced economic statistics, applied economics, and development economics to undergraduate and graduate students. Naz set up the Interdisciplinary Research and Statistical Analysis Lab (KU-LISA) at the University of Karachi in collaboration with the University of Colorado Boulder, USA, and has conducted workshops on data visualization, research proposal writing, and survey data analysis at KU-LISA. She has published her research on environmental health, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission, child nutrition, and maternal healthcare in reputable international journals. Naz has a Ph.D. in Economics from Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Islamabad.

Modelling Surface Flow Hazards
2021-06-08
About the training
The Himalayan Universities Consortium (HUC) and University of Bristol are pleased to announce a series of interactive teleconference training sessions on the use of flow modelling for hazard assessment in mountain environments. This training is a part of HUC’s Thematic Working Group on Cryosphere and Society. The training will take place over four online sessions. The first one-hour ‘taster’ session will introduce the participants to common surface flow hazards including glacial lake outburst floods, debris flows, lahars (volcanic mudflows) and flash floods, and principles of modelling for hazard assessment. The next three sessions (2 hours each) will include: an introduction to the mathematical description of flow in shallow layers; the parameterisation of sediment flow processes into mathematical models; and interactive instructions on the use of LaharFlow, a freely available hazard modelling framework, including setting up simulations and post-processing results.

Key dates
8 June 2021(13:45-14:45 NST): One hour ‘taster’ session, open to public.
21–23 June 2021: Three 2-hour sessions for those who completed the ‘taster’ session. Limited seats are available.

Expected participants
The training is targeted towards those working in operational assessment of flow hazards or are conducting related academic research. A background in quantitative physical science to a degree level is required, along with a stable internet connection. Some experience with GIS (ideally QGIS) is helpful for the post-processing model output. Women and members of under-represented communities are strongly encouraged to take part. Interested participants are required to fill the form here.
About LaharFlow
LaharFlow is a modelling framework for hazard assessment that can be applied to shallow erosive surface flows of water and sediment, including glacial lake outburst floods, debris flows, lahars (volcanic mudflows), flash floods and wet landslides. LaharFlow solves the shallow layer equations including inertial terms (essential for energetic flows on steep topography) and incorporates processes of substrate erosion and particle deposition that are strong controls on the dynamics of energetic natural sediment flows. The LaharFlow webtools have in-built global 30 m SRTM topography, where experienced users can upload their own higher resolution topographic mapping.
Keynote speakers
Jeremy C Phillips
Reader in Physical Volcanology, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol
Jeremy C Phillips is a physical volcanologist with a physical science background in fluid dynamics and volcanic processes, including fundamental processes of explosive volcanic eruptions, and multiphase environmental flows. His broad interests include environmental hazards, risk, and resilience. Phillips’ main career focus has been the prediction of volcanic hazards and their impacts. He now works across disciplines to integrate hazard assessment with social and physical vulnerability, risk management structures and com-munity engagement, with social scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and statisticians. Phillips is currently involved in multidisciplinary projects on hazard assessment. These projects include the development of freely available hazard assessment tools for volcanic plumes and lahar hazard, and in-country workshops with communities and stakeholders.

HUC at the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development
2021-05-17 - 2021-05-19 | Zoom
Objectives
Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) is participating at the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development. This conference will be held virtually from 17 to 19 May 2021.
HUC will set up a virtual booth, “Building an impactful alliance for sustainable mountain education in the Hindu Kush Himalaya“, showcasing a dynamic and effective way to build impactful partnerships to make higher education a lever of change for sustainable mountain development in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, one of the regions most affected by climate change and other global processes. The booth will showcase printed media (posters and flyers) and a short video on the HUC journey.
The event will host a 30 minute live session on Tuesday, 18 May 2021 (13:00-13:30 CET), with panelists sharing inter-related stories about HUC and its role in Sustainable Mountain Education in the HKH region. The panelists are:
Chi H Truong, HUC Secretariat Lead, who will speak on building a strong lasting partnership through increasing ownership and shared leadership among the Consortium’s members
Anne Zimmermann, CDE University of Bern and SME Task Force member, who will speak on operating a task force linking global top-notch experts in ESD with senior educators and administrators of rich regional expertise
Brian Stout and Hayley Saul of Western Sydney University who will share their stories on HUC thematic working groups through a pre-recorded video
Yangka, Director of Academic Affairs, Royal University of Bhutan, who will speak on the imperative of mountain-focused, HKH-specific curriculum and regional cooperation in research and training
Sara Nowreen, Bangladesh University of Science and Technology, an HUC fellow, who will speak on empowering faculty through experiential learning and continued provision of support for ESD curriculum uptake

Renewable energy transitions : A comparative assessment of the Hindu Kush Himalaya, Andes, and Alps
2021-04-07 - 2021-04-09 | Zoom
The workshop will be led by Christopher Scott (Udall Center, University of Arizona, USA) and jointly coordinated by Chi H Truong (Shachi, ICIMOD), and Carolina Adler (MRI, University of Bern, Switzerland).

Background
The impacts of climate change in mountain regions are accentuated by elevation-dependent warming and precipitation variability higher than in other regions, coupled with greater dependence of mountain communities on local sources of energy and other resources. Energy systems are central to climate change both as drivers and responses. The development and use of energy resources, particularly fossil fuels, are the principal causes of global warming. At the same time, climate-change impacts across a range of social and ecological systems require mitigation and adaptation in which less carbon-intensive energy uses play a central role. Climate-change dynamics are not uniformly distributed globally, with temperature rise occurring differentially higher in polar and mountain regions. Especially in mountain regions, energy-use alternatives can be constrained due to inadequate infrastructure, remoteness, and reliance on traditional forms of energy that may be difficult to diversify.
This workshop, jointly sponsored by ICIMOD’s Himalayan University Consortium and the Mountain Research Initiative (MRI), and coordinated by the University of Arizona’s Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, is a community-led activity bringing together experts including young professionals to connect and synthesize existing data, information, publications, and/or other forms of knowledge to provide new insights on the state of mountains and renewable energy transitions in a global context.
Objectives
This virtual workshop aims to synthesize current understanding and address future challenges related to energy transitions in mountain regions with an emphasis on renewable energy in the context of climate change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, Andes, and Alps.
Workshop participants will also address current challenges in mountain regions related to climate-change impacts on energy systems with an emphasis on renewables and transitions towards carbon neutrality as well as to present and discuss adaptation solutions by mountain communities and economic sectors.

Participants
The workshop will be limited to 50 registered participants, including 15 invited experts and 35 participants. Interested researchers, policy makers, and practitioners from the HKH countries should apply via the HUC Portal by 1 March 2021.
For applicants from Latin America and Europe, and for those who are based elsewhere but are working on relevant issues in the Andes and Alps, the deadline is 10 March 2021.
Notification of acceptance will be communicated by 16 March 2021.
Young and female professionals, those from under-represented communities, and graduate students are especially encouraged to apply.
Applications from past HUC fellows who successfully completed the Water Energy Food Nexus: Adaptive Response to Regional Hindu Kush Himalaya Challenges, 19 May – 4 June 2020 course will receive designated merit points in the selection process.

Agenda
Time: 19:45–22:15 (NPT), 16:00–18:30 (CEST), 07:00–09:30 (U.S. MST)
Day 1: 7 April 2021

Time(NPT)
Time(CEST)
Time(MST)
Topic
Speakers/Facilitators

19:45-19:55
16:00-16:10
7:00-7:10
Welcome remarks
Pema Gyamtsho, ICIMOD
Carolina Adler, Mountain Research Initiative (MRI)

19:55-20:15
16:10-16:30
7:10-7:30
Workshop overview, participants and regions represented
Christopher Scott, University of Arizona

20:15-20:30
16:30-16:45
7:30-7:45
Mountain regions and global headwaters
Daniel Viviroli, University of Zurich

20:30-20:45
16:45-17:00
7:45-8:00
Discussion and Q&A
Moderator: Padmendra Shrestha, University of Arizona

20:45-21:00
17:00-17:15
8:00-8:15
The role of hydropower in Switzerland’s energy strategy
Daniel Viviroli, University of Zurich

21:00-21:15
17:15-17:30
8:15-8:30
Discussion and Q&A
Moderator: Padmendra Shrestha, University of Arizona

21:15-21:30
17:30-17:45
8:30-8:45
Break

21:30-21:45
17:45-18:00
8:45-9:00
Energy ecosystem for the transition towards a low carbon society in HKH region: Opportunities and
Partnerships
Biraj Singh Thapa, Kathmandu University

21:45-21:55
18:00-18:10
9:00-9:10
Discussion and Q&A
Moderator: Sebastián Riera Yankeliovich,Universidad Nacional de Cuyo

21:55-22:10
18:10-18:25
9:10-9:25
Breakout group discussion, synthesis

22:10-22:15
18:25-18:30
9:25-9:30
Announcements for Day 2

22:15
18.30
9:30
Adjourn

Day 2: 8 April 2021

Time(NPT)
Time(CEST)
Time(MST)
Topic
Speakers/Facilitators

19:45-20:00
16:00-16:15
7:00-7:15
Energy transition in the Mendoza, Argentina Andes: Regional insights
Sebastián Riera Yankeliovich,Universidad Nacional de Cuyo

20:00-20:15
16:15-16:30
7:15-7:30
Discussion and Q&A
Fabian Drenkhan, Imperial College London

20:15-20:30
16:30-16:45
7:30-7:45
Governance of complex trade-offs between mitigation and adaptation in the Swiss Alps
Elke Kellner,Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL

20:30-20:45
16:45-17:00
7:45-8:00
Discussion and Q&A
Moderator: Sarala Khaling,ATREE

20:45-21:00
17:00-17:15
8:00-8:15
The journey to renewable Energy: Narratives from Bhutan and HKH
Medha Bisht, South Asian University

21:00-21:15
17:15-17:30
8:15-8:30
Discussion and Q&A
Moderator: Elke Kellner, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape
Research WSL

21:15-21:30
17:30-17:45
8:30-8:45
Break

21:30-21:45
17:45-18:00
8:45-9:00
Water resource conflicts and hydropower in the tropical Andes: Governance and feasibility of
multi-purpose projects
Fabian Drenkhan, Imperial College London

21:45-21:55
18:00-18:10
9:00-9:10
Discussion and Q&A
Moderator: Padmendra Shrestha, University of Arizona

21:55-22:10
18:10-18:25
9:10-9:25
Breakout group discussion, synthesis

22:10-22:15
18:25-18:30
9:25-9:30
Announcements for Day 3

22:15
18:30
9:30
Adjourn

Day 3: 9 April 2021

Time(NPT)
Time(CEST)
Time(MST)
Topic
Speakers/Facilitators

19:45-20:00
16:00-16:15
7:00-7:15
Hydropower in the HKH: Threats and Opportunities in the Face of Climate Change
Kasvi Singh, TERI School of Advanced Studies

20:00-20:15
16:15-16:30
7:15-7:30
Discussion and Q&A
Moderator: Sebastián Vicuña, Pontificia Universidad, Católica de Chile

20:15-20:30
16:30-16:45
7:30-7:45
Challenges and opportunities of hydropower in the Chilean Andes in a climate change world
Sebastián Vicuña,Pontificia Universidad, Católica de Chile

20:30-20:45
16:45-17:00
7:45-8:00
Discussion and Q&A
Moderator: Biraj Singh Thapa, Kathmandu University

20:45-21:00
17:00-17:15
8:00-8:15
Himalayan floods raise questions on the sustainability of hydropower
Padmendra Shrestha, University of Arizona

21:00-21:15
17:15-17:30
8:15-8:30
Discussion and Q&A
Moderator: Daniel Viviroli, University of Zurich

21:15-21:30
17:30-17:45
8:30-8:45
Break

21:30-21:45
17:45-18:00
8:45-9:00
Workshop synthesis
Christopher Scott, University of Arizona

21:45-22:10
18:00-18:25
9:00-9:25
Plenary session: pathways of workshop proceedings

22:10-22:15
18:25-18:30
9:25-9:30
Closing remarks
Chi Huyen Truong (Shachi), ICIMOD

22:15
18:30
9:30
Adjourn

Speakers/Facilitators

Biraj Singh Thapa
Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kathmandu University

Carolina Adler
Executive Director, Mountain Research Initiative (MRI)

Chi Huyen Truong (Shachi)
Program coordinator, Himalayan University Consortium (HUC)

Christopher Scott
Director, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy and Professor, School of Geography and Development, University of Arizona

Daniel Viviroli
Research group leader, Mountain Hydrology in Hydrology & Climate unit, Department of Geography, University of Zurich

Elke Kellner
Postdoctoral researcher, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL

Fabian Drenkhan
RAHU Project, Imperial College London

Kasvi Singh
Master’s student, Economics (specializing in Environmental and Resource Economics), TERI School of Advanced Studies

Medha Bisht
Senior Assistant Professor, Department of International Relations, South Asian University

Padmendra Shrestha
PhD student, School of Geography, Development & Environment, University of Arizona

Sarala Khaling
Regional Director, Eastern Himalaya/Northeast India, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology & the Environment (ATREE), India

Sebastian Riera Yankeliovich
Postdoctoral researcher AACREA-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo

Sebastian Vicuna
Director, Centro de Cambio Global, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad, Catolica de Chile

Workshop proceedings
The workshops served to highlight lessons learned and ways forward, drawing on multiple perspectives of researchers, practitioners, agencies and NGOs in an effort to bridge the experiences and challenges of critical mountain regions globally.
Challenges include: supply diversification including carbon neutrality and beyond; demand management (including consumptive and productive energy uses and associated equity concerns); energy justice with equity in access and inclusive decision-making; climate resilience for carbon mitigation with transformative adaptation.
Hydropower in an energy system uniquely identified with mountain. How is this understood in transition terms (as bridge energy to low-impact renewables, or low/zero-carbon alternative to fossil fuels, or both, or other)? The scale of hydropower (and siting on smaller streams within a basin-wide perspective) vs. long-term feasibility of HP plants is critically important. Hydropower should not be thought of just as government projects but needs to include local control and ownership. The planning stage of hydropower development must move toward implementation, with special attention to operations and maintenance, rural power supply, environmental protection, relocation/resettlement with social equity and rural revitalization.
Governance of energy transitions involves, among other factors, decision-making, decentralization, risk impact and assessment. Overcoming energy poverty will require expanded access, localization, and community-centered development with emphasis on sustainable livelihoods and sustainable development frameworks.
SUMMARY PRESENTATION
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Changes in the cryosphere: Building resilience to natural hazards in the HKH
2021-03-11 | Online via MS Teams
Background
This workshop is an initial activity to support the establishment of a Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) thematic working group on cryosphere and society. The workshop’s primary focus is on changes in the cryosphere, the increased risks and hazards resulting from these changes, and the ways in which communities can become resilient and cope with these risks. This is possible through the integration of social and physical science with local knowledge systems to design interventions that enhance resilience of communities. The workshop aims to provide a platform for University of Bristol (UoB) and HUC members to share their experiences on the topic and identify key areas for future collaboration.
Objectives

Facilitate exchange of knowledge and experience and between HUC members and University of Bristol on resilience in high mountain communities
Identify opportunities for collaboration on cryosphere and society
Identify areas and programmes where small-scale collaborative activities can be initiated between UoB and HUC members

Storying the sustainable intelligence of the Earth in the new Himalaya: Symbiotic indigeneity and transboundary commons
2020-11-30 - 2020-12-12 | Online
Led by: Dan Smyer Yü (Yunnan University) and Erik de Maaker (Leiden University)
Co-organized by: HUC Thematic Working Group on Trans-Himalayan Environmental Humanities and National Centre for Borderlands Ethnic Studies in Southwest China at Yunnan University (NaCBES)
In partnership with: Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Leiden University; University of Warwick; and Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
The following two webinars are part of a two-week intensive virtual seminar/publishing workshop. These webinars are open to the public on a first-come-first-served basis.
PUBLIC LECTURE 1
30 November 2020, 12:45–14:15 NPT (UTC+05:45)
M?kua Valley on the island of O‘ahu is a place where snail conservation, the US Army, and K?naka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) claims to access land and cultural sites are brought into dynamic tension. Over roughly the past 100 years, the Army has used this valley for live-fire and other exercises, excluding people while also blowing up and burning the habitat of critically endangered land snails and other species. Snails and local people are drawn together here into a powerful multispecies solidarity centred on efforts to conserve the biological and cultural heritage of this place. Importantly, these efforts have also rippled out beyond the valley, through not only the Army’s subsequent investment in snail conservation in Hawaii but also its ongoing activities in other parts of the Pacific region that continue to threaten snails and their peoples, while also fostering their own dynamic forms of solidarity and resistance. This lecture will explore some of the complexities and compromises of conservation in the context of deep histories and ongoing realities of both colonization and militarization.
About the speaker
Thom van Dooren is Associate Professor and Australian Research Council Future Fellow at the School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry and the Sydney Environment Institute, University of Sydney, and Professor II in the Oslo School of Environmental Humanities, University of Oslo. His research and writing focus on some of the many philosophical, ethical, cultural, and political issues that arise in the context of species extinctions and human entanglements with threatened species and places.
He is the author of Flight Ways: Life and Loss at the Edge of Extinction (2014), The Wake of Crows: Living and Dying in Shared Worlds (2019), and co-editor of Extinction Studies: Stories of Time, Death, and Generations (2017), all published by Columbia University Press.
PUBLIC LECTURE 2
Learning from life stories
1 December 2020, 19:45–21:15 NPT (UTC+05:45)
Life stories provide unique insights into the everyday experiences, attitudes, and knowledge of people who are marginalized for political, social, economic, or cultural reasons. They can also reveal the intimate relationship between human and non-human domains and the impossibility of separating these interactions. Yet this approach raises many challenges and can be hard to implement at scale. The impact of detailed qualitative interviews on interviewers as well as on those being interviewed is sometimes underestimated, especially when dealing with socially and emotionally charged and traumatic experiences. The need to be aware of demographic and personality differences in addition to social norms relating to expressions of personal experience also requires sensitivity and reflection. However, the proven benefits of developing empathetic modes of communication embedded in life story approaches make this a valuable, but a highly complex and challenging tool for research as well as for community and individual empowerment. This talk will discuss examples from the broader Himalayan region of how and why life story research has been used to explore hidden histories and experiences, as well as some of the methodological questions that arise.
About the speaker
Mandy Sadan is Associate Professor and Academic Director of Distance Learning Postgraduate Programmes, School for Cross-faculty Studies – Global Sustainable Development; and Senior Research Fellow, Oxford School of Global and Area Studies. Sadan has been researching on and teaching about the borderlands of Myanmar for more than two decades and remains deeply committed to using her work to support the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals in these regions. She seeks to demonstrate the importance of historical and humanities-oriented research in supporting locally grounded sustainable development and peacebuilding, especially politically, educationally, and culturally marginalized borderland communities. For this reason, too, she is passionate about the role that life story and oral history research can play in supporting local people to have a stronger voice in development policy.
Her most recent collaborative projects, funded through the British Academy Sustainable Development Program and the UK Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), include “Sustainable Lives in Scarred Landscapes: Heritage, Environment, and Violence in the China-Myanmar Jade Trade” and “Drugs and (Dis)order: Building Sustainable Peacetime Economies in the Aftermath of War”.
AGENDA
First webinar – Monday, 30 November 2020 | 12:45–14:45 NPT (UTC+05:45)

Date
Programme

12:35–12:45
Participants log-in on Microsoft Teams

12:45–12:55
Introduction – Chi H Truong (Shachi), Himalayan University Consortium, ICIMOD
Welcome remarks – Pema Gyamtsho, Director General, ICIMOD

Public lecture 1
Speaker: Thom van Dooren, University of Sydney and University of Oslo
Discussant: Dan Smyer Yü, Yunnan University

12:55–13:00
Introduction of the virtual seminar-workshop and speaker – Dan Smyer Yu

13:00–14:00
Military snails: Multispecies solidarity in Hawaii – Thom van Dooren

14:00–14:45
Discussion
End of day 1

Second webinar – Tuesday, 1 December 2020 | 19:45–21:15 NPT (UTC+05:45)

Date
Programme

19:35–19:45
Participants log-in on Microsoft Teams

Public lecture 2
Speaker: Mandy Sadan, University of Warwick
Discussant: Erik de Maaker, Leiden University

19:45–19:55
Introduction of the speaker – Erik de Maaker

19:55–20:55
Learning from life stories – Mandy Sadan

20:55–21:15
Discussion
End of day 2 and public keynote lectures

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Water–energy–food nexus: Adaptive response to regional Hindu Kush Himalayan challenges
2020-05-19 - 2020-06-04 | Zoom
Background
This online course provides participants with conceptual understanding and applied knowledge on water, energy, and food systems, with an emphasis on development in the Hindu Kush Himalaya. Drawing on the experience of the instructor Prof. Christopher Scott (Director of the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, University of Arizona, USA; and ICIMOD Mountain Chair 2020–22) and globally recognized experts, the interactive course will showcase new insights into the water–energy–food nexus.
Programme focus
The seminar will address the following list of topics:

Energy futures to meet agricultural and urban water demand
Water resource needs for power generation using conventional fuels and renewables
Implications and role of water and agriculture in the emerging carbon-neutral economy
Comparative energy- and water-based perspectives on efficiency and conservation, and co-production of research and policy making on water, energy, and food

Thus, seminar participants will learn about physical and social science approaches to water management and policy.
Who is this course for?
The course is most suitable for the following audiences. However, if you don’t fit into any of the following categories but still feel you too can benefit from the course, please do apply and we will consider your application.

Advanced graduate students (Master’s or PhD) and faculty members from HUC universities
Mid-career government officials of water, irrigation, energy, electricity, food and agriculture departments, as well as regulatory bodies
Mid-career level staff of NGOs, INGOs, development agencies
Scientific attachés of relevant embassies and foreign ministries
Mid-career researchers and officers from research/consulting companies working on water-energy-food nexus related themes.

Programme schedule
The following is a list of provisional topics and speakers. All sessions will be held on Tuesdays or Thursdays at 10:00–11:00 am Nepal Standard Time (UTC+05:45).

Date
Programme

19 May 2020
Welcome, course overview, water–energy–food nexus concept and applications – Christopher Scott, University of Arizona, USA Water–energy–food nexus in the Hindu Kush Himalaya – Golam Rasul, ICIMOD, Nepal

21 May 2020
Managing groundwater in the Gangetic Plains requires a water–energy–food nexus approach – Aditi Mukherji, IWMI, India Feedback, Q&A with participants; identification of water–energy–food nexus cases

26 May 2020
Water–energy–food nexus in Africa – Michael Jacobson, Pennsylvania State University, USA River basin development in the Andes – Christopher Scott, University of Arizona, USA

28 May 2020
Water–energy–food nexus in Pakistan – Afreen Siddiqi, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA The water-energy-food nexus: A systematic review of methods for nexus assessment (Arica Crootof, Montana Western Univ., USA; and Tamee Albrecht, Univ. Arizona, USA)

2 June 2020
Hydro-energy cooperation in the Bangladesh–Bhutan–India–Nepal region: Prospects for transboundary energy and water security in South Asia – Padmendra Shrestha, University of Arizona, USA, and Udisha Saklani, University of Cambridge, UK Regional connectivity and cross-border energy trade in the BBIN region: Implications for sustainable mountain development – Ramesh Vaidya, ICIMOD, Nepal

4 June 2020
Water-energy-food nexus and the Hindu Kush – Himalaya Monitoring and Assessment Programme – Philippus Wester, ICIMOD, Nepal Course synthesis and closing remarks – Christopher Scott, University of Arizona, USA

How to register
Please click on the ‘ENROLL’ button on this page to register your interest in the course and let us know about your motivation to join the course. If you face any difficulty accessing the form, please write to huc@icimod.org mentioning the nature of the problem. We will reach out only to shortlisted and selected participants through email with further instructions to join the course. Please note that enrolling into the course would require your commitment to attend at least 4 sessions from the schedule. Participants attending all 6 sessions will be eligible to receive a digital certificate.
Organizer
The event is being organized by HUC in partnership with Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, University of Arizona.
HUC – an initiative under ICIMOD’s Regional Programme on Mountain Knowledge and Action Networks (MKAN) – has a mandate to develop an effective, sustainable network of universities in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region in collaboration with academic, research, and knowledge-generating and exchange institutions both within and outside the HKH region. HUC currently consists of 76 full members from eight HKH countries and 17 associate members from other parts of the world.
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Writeshop on the Sustainable Mountain Education Task Force
2020-02-26 - 2020-02-28 | Kathmandu, Nepal, Nepal
Background
The Sustainable Mountain Education Task Force (previously called the Sustainable Mountain Development Curriculum Building Task Force) was formed in 2018 to achieve the Himalayan University Consortium’s (HUC) “Regional collaboration in education and training for SMD in the HKH” strategic goal. HUC is accordingly hosting a two-day writeshop of the Task Force to develop and refine HUC’s Sustainable Mountain Education Strategy. The writeshop will lead to a detailed proposal for follow-up of the Task Force and/or SME Working Group for 2020–2021.
Expected outcomes

A refined draft of HUC’s Sustainable Mountain Education Strategy.
A proposal for continuation of the Task Force and/or SME Working Group for 2020–2021 with concrete action plans.

Organizer
The event is being organized by HUC and financed by ICIMOD. HUC – an initiative under ICIMOD’s Regional Programme on Mountain Knowledge and Action Networks (MKAN) – has its mandate in developing an effective, sustainable network of universities in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region in collaboration with academic, research, and knowledge-generating and exchange institutions both within and outside the HKH region. HUC currently consists of 76 full members from eight HKH countries and 17 associate members from other parts of the world.
Participants
Seven core members, two co-leads, and three invited scholars will participate in the writeshop.

Trans-Himalayan Environmental Humanities: Integrating Indigenous Mountain Knowledge, Modern Sciences, and Global Endeavours for a Sustainable Himalayan Region
2019-11-03 - 2019-11-05 | Kunming, China, China
Background
Science–policy initiatives undertaken by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and Yunnan University have reaffirmed the critical importance of the world’s mountains in supporting the earth’s biodiversity and the need to protect the geo-ecological uniqueness of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). In addition to fostering science–policy dialogue and alliances, ICIMOD, through its Himalayan University Consortium (HUC), has recently initiated a number of research projects driven by the social sciences and humanities on sustainability studies in the HKH.
The HUC Trans-Himalayan Environmental Humanities Thematic Working Group is one of these high-impact initiatives, working to widen the scope of Himalayan environmental studies with more inter-disciplinary approaches and policy engagement. “Interfacing Indigenous Knowledge, Modern Science, and Policymaking: Water and Climate Change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya,” the Working Group’s first project funded by the HUC, is a landmark research endeavour that has formally ushered environmental humanities into Himalayan studies. The project involves scholars from Bhutan, China, India, and the Netherlands.
Environmental humanities, an emerging interdisciplinary field of environmental studies, calls for diverse responses to locally manifested global environmental challenges and a fundamental understanding of what it means to be a human resident of earth (Rose et al 2012). By emphasising the relational nature of the earth with the world humans inhabit, environmental humanities draws attention to the values and applicability of indigenous ecological knowledge in building a sustainable future for the earth community. Its conceptual resonance with Himalayan scholars as well as policymakers across the world is becoming ever more evident
Objective
The Trans-Himalayan Environmental Humanities workshop in Kunming, China will showcase the latest thematic studies on water, climate change, and sustainable living in the greater Himalayan region in the context of the Anthropocene – the geological age of humans – in which most environmental changes are human-induced. Participants and facilitators will discuss how indigenous experiences of climate change relate to observations made by environmental scholars and how humans value the environments in which they live, including how these appreciations change over time and what kinds of factors influence such changes. This will be done at an interface where indigenous knowledge, modern science, and the global sustainability discourse come together. With environmental humanist approaches in mind, contributors to the workshop must address these interconnected themes in their respective case studies. Papers presented at the workshop will be compiled and published.
Application process and selection
The organizers are inviting scholars and researchers from HUC full member institutions in the HKH and associate member institutions outside the region to submit research abstracts on the topics indicated in the preceding paragraph, applicable in the HKH region. The authors of the selected abstracts will be expected to present a fully developed paper at the conference in November 2019. Submissions will be assessed based on their quality and thematic relevance. The conference particularly welcomes papers addressing the environmental sustainability of the HKH as a more-than-human world.
Selected authors from HUC full member institutions will receive partial funding from the organizers to attend the conference. This provision is not available to authors affiliated with HUC associate member institutions. Selected papers will undergo revisions and be published with a Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) or The Arts & Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI) journal, or a globally reputable academic publisher.
Interested scholars may submit their CV and abstract to huc@icimod.org. Please make sure to include the term ‘Abstract–Trans-Himalaya 2019‘ in your email subject line.
The submission deadline is 15 July 2019.

Inception meeting - HUC TWG on Mountain Tourism and Cultural Heritage and launch of Mount Kailash Heritage Route Project
2019-10-03 - 2019-10-04 | Kathmandu, Nepal, Nepal
Background
Tourism destinations within the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region are areas of great global geographical, natural, and cultural significance. With its towering peaks, majestic landscapes, and rich cultural heritage, the HKH region has long drawn fascinated visitors from around the world. Remoteness, inaccessibility, and limited alternative livelihood options are challenges dictating the socioeconomic wellbeing of mountain communities. The International Centre of Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) aims to promote sustainable mountain tourism to enhance the socioeconomy and wellbeing of mountain communities. Its Kailash Sacred Landscape (KSL) Initiative promotes sustainable mountain tourism in the KSL (shared by China, India, and Nepal) to ensure benefits to communities and partnering countries at the transnational level.
Mountain tourism in the context of the KSL is interlaced with heritage, culture, and identity. The KSL is a globally important heritage encompassing Mount Kailash and Mansarovar, an epicentre of cultural and religious significance. The landscape as a global heritage also has great historical significance, particularly given the ancient cross-border cultural, economic, and religious interactions that have underpinned the transnational exchange of goods, services, and knowledge.
Today, heritage tourism is rapidly growing across the world. Tourism economy, heritage preservation, and national and transnational level collaboration are expanding concomitantly. An increasing number of travellers are traversing the KSL, seeking experiential journeys for pilgrimage, festivals, traditions, and authentic cuisines and lifestyles. With this boom, mountain tourism has become an inextricable part of the landscape’s economy and collaboration. Heritage tourism in the KSL therefore needs to be understood in the context of its broad connotations and values at a transnational scale.
About the inception meeting
Every year, thousands of pilgrims and hundreds of tourists follow specific heritage routes to Mount Kailash. On one hand, the thriving tourism brings economic prosperity to the KSL; on the other, it poses dangers to the landscape and its local communities. Well-developed heritage routes could be a possible solution. Such routes are designed to preserve tangible and intangible cultural heritage and also generate benefits to the local communities. They integrate important elements for sustainable mountain tourism and cultural heritage preservation, such as political (planning and management); economic (jobs, employment, and enterprises); environmental (waste, carrying capacity); and social (human capital – knowledge, awareness, skills, capacity) agendas. Effective cooperation and collaboration is needed among diverse stakeholders directly or indirectly impacted by heritage route development in the KSL.
A critical area for cooperation and collaboration is applied knowledge generation to support science and policy decisions. Collaboration is essential for inter- and transdisciplinary research that integrates border/frontier regions, tourism management, heritage preservation, and sustainability in the KSL. To this end, ICIMOD’s Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) and Kailash Sacred Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative (KSLCDI) are jointly organizing an inception meeting on the HUC Thematic Working Groups (TWGs) on Mountain Tourism and Cultural Heritage, which were proposed at the HUC Annual Meeting in Chengdu in 2017. The launch of the Mount Kailash Heritage Route Project will also take place during the meeting.
The HUC is a growing network of 80 universities in eight HKH countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Pakistan – and selected countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The Consortium aims to promote regional and global collaboration in research and higher education for meaningful and sustainable wellbeing of local communities. HUC’s TWGs are member-led, self-organizing clusters of scholars and institutions operating on resource-sharing basis.
A Sustainability Education Task Force has recently been established to promote inter- and trans-disciplinary, field-based, problem-based, and solution-driven approaches in research and education among members. The Consortium hopes to create a new generation of scholar-leaders in the HKH region, committed to inter- and trans- disciplinary research, and capable of producing consequential knowledge and innovative policies to address HKH mountain issues.
Purpose
The meeting aims to i) take stock of the existing availability of mountain-focused, HKH-specific research and higher education curricula in the field of cultural heritage and tourism studies among HUC full members in the region; and ii) explore the scope of a collaborative multidisciplinary research project on Mount Kailash as part of efforts to develop a transnational heritage tourism route in the KSL.
Objectives

Obtain preliminary understanding of the state-of-the-art of research and higher education training in cultural heritage and tourism studies, with special reference to mountains, among HUC full members in the eight HKH countries
Identify gaps in knowledge, methodology, and pedagogy for curriculum development in relevant fields
Consolidate governance structure of the two TWGs, or one merged TWG as per decision by participants
Discuss and initiate drafting a Strategy and Plan for Actions for both TWGs, or for one of the merged TWG as per decision by participants
Explore the potential for collaboration among members on the Mount Kailash Heritage Route Project Proposal and develop a Roadmap for Collaborative Actions

Expected outputs
Finalization of a consolidated governance structure of the thematic working groups, with specified lead, co-Leads, focal persons, etc.

Establishment of a strategy-drafting core group
Preparation of a draft Roadmap for Collaborative Actions of the Mount Kailash Heritage Route Project Proposal
Finalization of a consolidated governance structure of the thematic working groups, with specified lead, co-Leads, focal persons, etc.

HUC Academy 2019 - Harnessing economic opportunities for transformative change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
2019-09-23 - 2019-10-02 | Kathmandu, Nepal, Nepal
The Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) – an initiative under the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development’s (ICIMOD) Mountain Knowledge and Action Networks (MKAN) Regional Programme – provides a platform to enhance collaboration among universities in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region and promote centres of excellence on key topics relevant to the region. The aim is to foster research and learning by building a dynamic mountain knowledge partnership among universities, ICIMOD, and regional member country partners to promote research and learning. This network engages students and professionals 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 HUC Academy is the Consortium’s flagship annual programme that provides opportunities for young researchers to engage in cross-disciplinary scholarship. It aims to foster a new generation of transformational leaders committed to mountain research, capable of producing consequential knowledge, innovate policies, and environmentally responsible business practices to address mountain challenges in the HKH from transboundary perspectives. The four signature features of the HUC Academy are mountain focus, inter- and trans-disciplinarity, field research, and leadership.
Transformative change requires targeting the root causes that result in social, economic, political, and environmental problems and inequities. It is mainly accompanied by changes in economic structures and relations to enhance productivity in an environmentally sound manner and ensure equitable distribution of its benefits. The HUC Academy 2019 – under the theme “Harnessing economic opportunities for transformative change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya” – will take place in Kathmandu from 23 September to 2 October 2019. The programme aims to improve the knowledge of students and early-career professionals in identifying and analysing emerging economic opportunities and their relevance to transformative change in the HKH.
Objectives
The HUC Academy 2019 aims to:

Enhance applied knowledge on economic development and sustainability issues in the HKH region;
Improve skills to design and implement frameworks for harnessing economic opportunities to bring about transformative change in the HKH;
Identify a set of practical skills and competencies required by academics, practitioners, and future leaders and help them work on the same;
Create an interdisciplinary network of teaching faculty and scholars working on the economics–transformative change nexus.

Asia-Pacific Water Leadership Programme
2019-08-08 - 2019-09-18 | Murray-Darling Basin, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Australia, Australia
Targeted Audience
The Water Leadership Programme (WLP) targets mid- and senior-level scholars and faculty members across disciplines of water studies and water resource management in the HKH, who have a track-record experience in conducting research, publishing, training, and engaging in policy dialogues on these topics.
Venues
The WLP will be held in the Murray-Darling Basin of Australia, along with classroom modules in Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide, and field visits along the Murray River.
Important Dates
Program Dates: 8 April – 19 April 2018
Deadline for application: 17:00 Nepal Standard Time, 5 February 2018
Notification of selection: 15 February 2018
Background
South Asia is home to about 21 percent of the global population, but only roughly eight percent of the world’s annual renewable water resources. Population growth and urbanization are major drivers of change and increasing water stress in the region. The rivers of South Asia bear the brunt of this new demand for fresh water. About one billion people live in the three large transboundary basins of the region: the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra. These rivers that emanate from the Himalaya are shared across borders between Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan. Climate change studies increasingly suggest that the effects of glacial melt, temperature variations, and erratic monsoon patterns will reduce the availability of water in the region and lead to a greater frequency of floods and drought. Despite the frequency and transboundary impacts of these extreme events, cooperation between countries remains limited.
A 12-day intensive programme, co-organized by ICIMOD and the International Centre of Excellence on Water Resources Management (ICE WaRM), aims at providing a unique opportunity for mid- and senior-level scholars from HUC full members to learn of Australian experiences in water policy reform and improved use and management of water resources. The Programme will focus on integrated river basin management (IRBM) and governance, including various aspects of the integrated water resources management (IWRM) approach, including gender, ecosystems, social inclusiveness and community engagement, public and private cooperation, and water sharing between sectors and across states.
Call For Applications
Applicants must have at least 15 years progressive experience in water research and/or water resource management. Inter- or trans-disciplinary and/or trans-boundary experience in collaborative research, training, and policy-science dialogue is highly desirable.
Age requirement: below 46 for men, and below 51 for women. Women and people of minority/indigenous backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
Full funding to take part in the Programme will be provided to participants, to be selected on competitive basis.
Deadline for application is 5 February 2018

Introduction to Knowledge Management and Communication
2019-05-27 - 2019-06-02 | ICIMOD Headquarters, Kathmandu, Nepal
Background
The Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) is one of Bhutan’s esteemed education institutions that conducts research and promotes knowledge creation and dissemination for global impact. With over 600 academics employed and 10,000 students in more than 60 programmes at 10 different university campuses, the RUB contributes to research and shares its expertise in various international platforms. With the increasing number of academic papers being produced at the university, it has become necessary to systematically manage this knowledge through the use of information technology and effective repository systems. It is also important to develop tools and mechanisms to disseminate the knowledge through different knowledge products and mediums at national, regional, and international levels.
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge-sharing centre serving the eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush Himalaya – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. ICIMOD serves as an open house for knowledge initiatives on sustainable mountain development. The Knowledge Management and Communication (KMC) unit at ICIMOD helps produce, package, and communicate information and knowledge products in the form of publications, databases, multimedia, and web content, all of which are globally available online.
About the customized course
ICIMOD is a founding member and host of the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC), a network of 80 higher education institutions within and outside the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. The HUC’s mandate is to strengthen capacity for and promote regional and global collaboration in research and education for sustainable mountain development among members. The Royal University of Bhutan has been an active member of the HUC since 2016.
Given the RUB’s need for knowledge management and ICIMOD’s capacity in the same, an introductory course on knowledge management and communications has been designed by professionals at ICIMOD for RUB staff members. The course is a part of efforts by the HUC and ICIMOD to strengthen institutional capacity for sustainable mountain development in the HKH. The course caters to staff members with more than 10 years’ experience in management and administration, responsible for coordinating and managing the dissemination of knowledge generated by the RUB to various stakeholders for a wide range of usage.
Expected outcomes
Participants are expected to obtain an overall understanding of knowledge and communication systems applicable in the higher education institution context. By the end of the course, they should be able to:

Manage university staff’s data and publications using information management systems, thereby contributing to quality classroom teaching
Engage in library management and explore sharing of a knowledge network with HUC Libraries through e-services
Disseminate publications through policy briefs and press releases for print, broadcast, and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) to improve outreach

Participants will also be introduced to project management in the academic context. They will obtain a preliminary understanding of:

The importance of Theory of Change and Management-by-Result Framework in academic activities
Medium-term research project management cycle
The importance and practice of monitoring, evaluation, and learning
Networking and partnership building in the academic context

Participants will also have an opportunity to visit Kathmandu University’s campus to learn about good practices in management.

High-level symposium on the UN Sustainable Development Goals
2019-05-17 | Kathmandu, Nepal, Nepal
Nations, cities, and communities all over the world have committed to work towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The SDGs, set by the United Nations General Assembly, aim at securing a sustainable future for all. They address several global challenges, including those related to poverty, good health, clean water, sustainable cities and communities, quality education, gender equality, climate and environmental degradation, and peace and justice.
SDG 17 emphasizes the need for collaboration among different facets of society for sustainable development. To deliberate on this in the context of the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region, specifically in relation to collaboration between Norway and Nepal, a high-level symposium will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 17 May 2019. The symposium is being organized by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) – an initiative under the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). Experts from ICIMOD will participate in this event and deliberate on issues relevant to the HKH region.
Institutions in Nepal and Norway have for long closely collaborated on directly addressing several of the SDGs. This symposium will explore how strengthened collaboration between Norway and Nepal, NTNU and Nepalese partner universities, and the public and private sectors can form a sustainable development agenda and further contribute to the SDGs in general, specifically in the areas of social sustainability and hydropower.
A successful sustainable development agenda requires partnerships between governments, the private sector, and civil society, and it requires that the knowledge sector, in close collaboration with partners in public and private sector, develop knowledge and competencies that can contribute to sustainable development. HUC is mandated to develop an effective, sustainable network of universities in the HKH region in collaboration with academic, research and knowledge-generating, and exchange institutions both within and outside the region.

Regional Training on Springshed Management for Socio-Ecological Resilience in the Hindu Kush Himalaya 2019
2019-03-24 - 2019-04-06 | Kathmandu, Nepal, Nepal
Springs are the main source of water for millions of people and ecosystems in the HKH landscapes that span eight countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. Springs play an important role in the daily lives of thousands of rural and urban communities in the hills and mountains of the HKH. They are also important for ecosystem services, such as base flow in rivers, supporting biodiversity, and providing cultural and spiritual services. However, in many places, once-reliable springs are drying up or their discharge is reducing, presenting rural communities, women in particular, with new challenges. There is also growing concern about the quality of spring water due to contamination from different sources – geogenic and anthropogenic.
In the Himalayan region, natural springs and their sustainable development are not given due importance at both policy and practice levels, even though they play a critical role in water security. Present gaps in data and understanding need to be filled to develop innovative solutions for the sustainable management of these traditional sources of groundwater. There is also a need to raise awareness among academia and relevant policy and decision makers, and to develop skills and share knowledge on this critical topic with field practitioners and community members. There are gaps in data concerning the level of dependence of local populations on springs and the roles these play in nurturing cultural services and building resilience.
The drying of springs can have direct consequences on the larger ecosystem. Soils can lose moisture and nutrients, soil nutrients can reduce and biodiversity will suffer as a result. If a wetland that supports a unique bird species dries up, the entire wetland ecosystem is impacted. Therefore, any ecosystem research and development programme should consider hydrogeological elements and combine biodiversity and lithodiversity perspectives as they are intertwined.
ICIMOD, in its role as a regional leaning centre, is working with a diverse range of partners from its regional member countries (RMCs) to generate and share knowledge through a common platform for enhancing collective understanding of spring revival and springshed management. A six-step protocol on springshed management has been developed through various interdisciplinary partnerships and participatory field experiences. The protocol has been sharpened through a detailed methodology of springshed management developed under a collaboration between ICIMOD and the Advanced Center for Water Resources Development and Management (ACWADAM) over the past few years. Capacity building in relation to the protocol holds great potential for implementing a common methodology for springshed development and management in the HKH region.
The training is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) through its Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP) under the Global Programme Climate Change and Environment (GPCCE).
Objectives

To provide an interdisciplinary approach to understanding spring systems in the HKH region, which in turn can translate into knowledge and skills on springshed management for the socio-ecological resilience of local communities
To build skills regarding springshed management activities on the basis of sound concepts, analyses, and field experience regarding a systematic methodology based on the subject of hydrogeology along with disciplines such as climate, environment, and water governance
To understand and analyze experiences and impacts of springshed management under different conditions across HKH region

HUC - IHCAP Glacier Monitoring Training 2018
2018-11-12 - 2018-12-15 | ICIMOD
The Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) – an Initiative under ICIMOD’s regional programme on Mountain Knowledge and Action Networks (MKAN) – has its mandate in developing an effective, sustainable network of universities in the HKH, in collaboration with academic, research and knowledge generating and exchange institutions both within and outside the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.
Glacier mass balance, surface elevation, and area changes are Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) as defined by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). They are among the most important climate indicators from a science-policy communication perspective because glacier change is often visible and easily quantifiable, and as a result, more comprehensible to the general public. For this reason, glaciers have become iconic climate change indicators. Consistent long-term glacier monitoring programmes, however, are sparse in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.
ICIMOD has collaborated with partners to build capacity and establish glacier mass balance programmes in the HKH since 2011. The Universities of Fribourg and Zurich, Switzerland, maintain multiple monitoring programmes in the Alps. As a core competence, they have built capacity in Switzerland, and internationally with partners in India and several countries in the Andean and Central Asian region. ICIMOD carries out HUC–IHCAP Glacier Monitoring Training for students and young professionals from its regional member countries (RMCs) in collaboration with Swiss and Indian experts to promote sustainable and consistent monitoring programmes. The main objective of the training is to educate participants on glacier monitoring and its relevance and context in view of cryosphere and climate science, and to teach and practice international monitoring method standards.
The training consists of a theoretical section (Part I) for a larger group of participants (maximum 20) and a field-based section (Part II) for a smaller group (maximum 9).
Part I will provide participants information on international strategies and monitoring protocols for glacier monitoring, and understand their relevance, context, and theoretical background. Methods will be taught, instruments demonstrated, and exercises conducted to help participants analyse and understand global glacier monitoring parameters. Trainees will be introduced to the health, safety, and risk aspects of field work at remote, alpine, high-altitude sites, and given instruction on how to reduce risks and respond to them. Trainings on altitude-related illnesses and basic mountaineering techniques are high priority.
Part II will have participants learning how to conduct measurements and apply their theoretical knowledge in the field. Participants will practise basic mountaineering skills and experience the high-elevation alpine environment with its risks and challenges.
Click here for more information about the announcement, and submit your online application by 10 August 2018.

2018 International Workshop for Young Scientists of the Hindu Kush Himalaya
2018-11-05 - 2018-11-06 | Yanqihu Campus, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, China
The Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) was established with a mandate to develop an effective, sustainable network of universities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). The initiative is part of the regional programme on Mountain Knowledge and Action Networks (MKAN) at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). It works in collaboration with academic, research, and knowledge generating and exchange institutions within and outside the HKH.
The Second International Science Forum of National Scientific Organizations on the Belt and Road Initiative is to be organized by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) with the theme: Science and Technology cooperation and sustainable development for the Belt and Road region. The 2018 International Workshop for Young Scientists of the HKH has been incorporated in the session on capacity building, personal training, and basic scientific research, with the aim of providing a platform for young students, researchers, and university and research institute administrators to exchange ideas for better collaboration.
This workshop will provide a unique opportunity for early career scholars in the HKH to interact with their peers in the region, share their research experience, cultivate collegial partnerships and lay the foundations for future leadership in the region. Participants will include PhD students, scientists, engineers, and young scholars from universities that are full members of HUC. Some scientists and outstanding PhD students will be invited to make keynote presentations.
Objectives
The workshop will focus on climate change and sustainable development in the HKH. Major topics include:

Climate change
Disaster risk reduction
Biodiversity and stable ecosystems
Water resources
Livelihoods and poverty reduction
Regional development
Education and knowledge dissemination

High Level Meeting of Education and University Grants Commissions & Himalayan University Consortium Annual Meeting
2018-10-30 - 2018-10-31 | ICIMOD, Kathmandu University, Nepal
The Himalayan University Consortium has its mandate in developing an effective, sustainable network of universities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region, in collaboration with academic, research, knowledge generating and exchange institutions both within and outside the HKH 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 elected six-member Steering Group and a Secretariat coordinate with member institutions in network building, partnership enhancing, collaboration promoting, resource sharing and fund raising activities. The Secretariat is hosted by the Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD, Kathmandu), which has made HUC one of the Initiatives of the Regional Programme 6 – Mountain Knowledge and Action Networks (MKANs), 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.
Over the past four years, there has been a renewed interest among existing members and increased interest among potential HUC members. The total members increased from 33 in the beginning of 2016 to 62 by the end of 2017, including 47 full members from 8 countries in the HKH region and 15 associate members from outside of the HKH (Annex 1). At the HUC Annual Meeting in Chengdu, November 2017, the General Assembly endorsed the Steering Group’s proposal to establish a Task Force in drafting the HUC Strategy and Plan for Actions (SPA, 2018-2025), meanwhile reviewing the membership policies. In selected countries where members are increasing such as India, Pakistan, and Nepal, process of consultation has been initiated to discuss the need for an HUC Country Chapter. The SPA Drafts were prepared and revised according to inputs from members in selected countries during the first half of 2018.
The most recent development of HUC is the establishment of Thematic Working Groups (Annex 3). Ten (10) TWGs cover a wide range of thematic areas from climate change, water resource management, disaster reduction and resilience, mountain agriculture, non-traditional food securities, to poverty alleviation and environmental humanities. HUC TWGs are members-led clustering of researchers and practitioners from HUC members sharing similar scholarly interests, working to promote regional collaboration in research and training for sustainable mountain development. The development of TGWs is a continuation from HUC institutional grants provided to partnerships across the HKH (Annex 2).
Both country-based clusters of universities (country chapters) and thematic groups among members (TWGs) have come to realize the importance to inform state and national level policy makers of the significant potential HUC can bring in creating and sharing advance knowledge and competent workforce in service of sustainable development in upstream and downstream communities. At this end, efforts have been made in 2018 to approach University Grant Commissions in India and Nepal, Higher Education Commission in Pakistan, and National Education Planning Commission in Myanmar. Initiative responses from high level policy makers in these bodies have been overwhelming positive, indicating opportunities not only to garner support at national level but also the need to facilitate dialogue between UGC/HEC/NEPC chairpersons in the region to foster regional collaboration in research and training for SMD.

Himalayan University Consortium Nepal Members’ Meeting
2018-08-11 - 2018-08-12 | Pokhara University, Nepal
The Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) was established with a mandate to develop an effective, sustainable network of universities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). The initiative is part of the regional programme on Mountain Knowledge and Action Networks (MKAN) at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). It works in collaboration with academic, research, and knowledge generating and exchange institutions within and outside the HKH.
Over the past decade, ICIMOD has provided technical support in strengthening research capacity in climate change sciences and natural resource studies and management. The HUC Secretariat responds to requests to help build and upgrade curricula for sustainable mountain development from schools and departments at universities—both members and non-members of HUC.
The Objective and the expected outcome of the meeting is stated below:
Objectives
Vice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice Chancellors, and senior administrators and researchers from HUC member institutions in Nepal will be discussing:

A draft of the HUC Strategy and Action Plan I (2018–2025).
Potential funding sources for research and training collaboration among HUC members in Nepal and members within and outside the region.
Thematic areas for Nepal and the role of HUC Nepal members in thematic working groups.
Promotion of science-policy dialogues through HUC linkages with policy making institutions.
Potential linkage between HUC and Nepal’s University Grants Commission.
The need to establish a HUC Country Chapter in Nepal.
Procedure to nominate a HUC Steering Group member representing members in Nepal.

Expected Outcomes
The meeting is expected to arrive at:

A summary of comments and inputs to the HUC Strategy and Action Plan I (2018–2025).
A summary and action points regarding resource mobilization and potential for collaboration.
A summary and action points regarding the HUC Country Chapter in Nepal.
A summary and action points of the nomination procedure for a HUC Steering Group member representing Nepal.

HUC Academy 2018 - Climate Science and Adaptation in the Hindu Kush Himalayan Region: A Transdisciplinary Approach
2018-07-01 - 2018-07-14 | International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
The Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) – an Initiative under ICIMOD’s regional programme on Mountain Knowledge and Action Networks (MKAN) – has its mandate in developing an effective, sustainable network of universities in the HKH, in collaboration with academic, research and knowledge generating and exchange institutions both within and outside the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.
Universities and research centres play a key role in generating and sharing knowledge on climate change and providing evidence for effective climate change impact mitigation policies and practices. They fill crucial knowledge gaps and infuse technical content into public discourse that can influence policy makers and public opinion. The Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) was founded in 2007 with a mandate to develop an effective, sustainable network of universities in the HKH that collaborate with academic, research, and knowledge-generating institutions both within and outside the region for sustainable mountain development.
The HUC Academy is a flagship annual intensive programme of the Consortium, providing cross-disciplinary scholarship opportunities to young researchers. It aims to create a new generation of transformational leaders committed to mountain research, who are capable of producing consequential knowledge, innovative policies, and environmentally responsible business practices to address HKH mountain challenges with transboundary solutions. The four signature features of the HUC Academy are mountain focus; interdisciplinarity; field research; and, leadership.
The HUC Academy 2018, titled “Climate Science and Adaptation in the Hindu Kush Himalayan Region – a Transdisciplinary Approach,” will take place in Kathmandu from 1 to 14 July 2018, as part of a two-year grant made to the HUC by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The project aims to advance knowledge of climate science and promote effective and sustainable adaptation measures. It seeks to scale up the impacts of previous and existing Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP) interventions to the HKH and promote regional collaboration between higher education institutions in India and neighboring countries.
The HUC Academy 2018 aims to:
– Enhance scientific and applied knowledge on issues of climate change and adaptation in the HKH region.
– Improve practical skills needed for competent academics, practitioners, and future leaders.
– Create an interdisciplinary network of teaching faculty and scholars in climate change and adaptation in and for the HKH.

Inception Meeting - SDC HUC Focus Grants 2018–2019
2018-07-01 | Hotel Himalaya, Nepal, Nepal
HUC aims to enhance collaboration among universities in the HKH and to promote centres of excellence on research topics that are relevant to the region. The inception workshop will bring together principal investigators of selected lead institutions and partners to foster regional collaboration in higher education and research for sustainable mountain development.
Objectives

Familiarize participants with the Himalayan University Consortium and the process of HUC Institutional Grants
Create common understanding about the project grant – its vision, goals, objectives, and implementation plans
Present the project to the project team, ICIMOD resource persons, and Swiss experts
Discuss the roles of various partners and stakeholders in project implementation and introduce the partnership approach
Ensure ownership, support, and commitment to project outputs by partners

Expected Outcomes

Partners have a shared understanding of the project and their respective roles
ICIMOD Resource Persons and Swiss experts interact with grantees to enhance project direction and plans

Second Meeting of HUC Thematic Working Group on Water
2018-06-06 - 2018-06-08 | Kunming, China, China
The HUC Thematic Working Group (TWG) on Water (Water Group) was established at the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) Annual Meeting in Chengdu in November 2017. During the first TWG meeting in New Delhi, India, in January 2018, several actionable points were finalized. This meeting will be held to formulate an implementation plan for those points. It aims to:

Develop a strategy paper on actionable points for the Water Group
Generate consensus among partner universities on key details of the operational framework of the WG – for example, governance, policy, roles and responsibilities, and joint action
Gather ideas for financial sustainability of the WG and short-term activities.

The HUC is an initiative under ICIMOD’s regional programme on Mountain Knowledge and Action Networks (MKAN) that has a mandate to develop an effective, sustainable network of universities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), in collaboration with academic, research- and knowledge-generating and exchange institutions inside and outside the HKH.

Himalayan University Consortium India Members’ Meeting
2018-02-02 | Teri School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi, India, India
The Himalayan University Consortium has its mandate in developing an effective, sustainable network of universities in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region. It does so in collaboration with academic, research, and knowledge generating and exchange institutions both within and outside the region. Over the past three years, there has been a renewed interest among existing members and increased interest among potential members. The total members increased from 33 in the beginning of 2016 to 61 by the end of 2017, among which there are new three members from India.
Of eight countries in the HKH, India contributes the largest number of full members, locating in both the Himalayan states and in New Delhi. Some of the members have taken the lead in a number of Consortium’s activities, such as joining an exposure visit to Bangladesh in May 2017, and joining and offering leading roles in the newly established Thematic Groups. This heightened ownership and leadership indicates a readiness for an India Chapter of HUC to be established, aiming to promote stronger collaboration between HUC full members in India and those of neighboring countries, as well as associate members.
Objectives
Senior representatives of HUC members in India will be discussing:

Objective and procedure to establish the HUC India Chapter and draft its by-laws and plan of action.
Procedure to nominate an HUC Steering Group member representing members in India for 2018.
A draft of the HUC Strategy and Action Plan I (2018–2022).
Potential funding sources for research and training collaboration among HUC members in India and members in the region and beyond.

Participants

Senior representatives of existing HUC members in India, led by the HUC Steering Group member, PP Dhyani, and facilitated by representative of co-organizer, TERI School of Advanced Studies.
Senior representatives of a number of higher education institutions focusing on sustainable mountain development will also be invited to selected sessions.

Expected Outcomes
The one-day meeting is expected to arrive at:

A summary and action points regarding the HUC India Chapter.
A summary and action points of a nomination procedure for the HUC Steering Group member.
A summary of comments and inputs to the HUC Strategy and Action Plan I (2018–2011).
A summary and action points regarding funding resources.

Exposure visit of HUC members to Water studying Institutions in India
2018-01-31 - 2018-02-01 | Teri School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi, India, India
Background
The Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) has its mandate in developing an effective, sustainable network of universities in the HKH, in collaboration with academic, research and knowledge generating and exchange institutions both within and outside the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. The HUC has received a grant from The World Bank (WB), under its South Asia Water Initiative Phase II, aiming to strengthen its network and members’ capacity in the field of water studies and management.
One of the key activities of the HUC WB Grant is to promote exchange between members with relatively weaker institutional and research capacity and those with stronger capacity. To this end, an exposure visit for delegations from HUC members in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal is being organized to provide an opportunity for interaction between delegations and water-focused higher education and research institutions in India.
TERI School of Advanced Studies (TSAS) has been a full member of HUC since October 2016. It has been taking the lead in capacity strengthening activities in the field of climate change and environmental science among HUC members. Its Coca-Cola Department of Regional Water Studies plays a key role in various activities of the HUC WB SAWI Grant. At the International Conference and HUC Annual Meeting in Chengdu in November 2017, TSAS representative offered to co-lead and host a Thematic Working Group (TWG) on Water.
TSAS was set up as a Trust by TERI—a not-for-profit, independent research institute recognized globally for its contribution to scientific and policy research in the realms of energy, environment, and sustainable development in 1998. The TSAS was known as TERI University from October 2006 to November 2017. Beyond its academic programmes, TSAS is actively reaching out to mid-career professionals and policy makers to sensitize them towards the environment and sustainable development in a systemic, solutions-oriented manner.
Objectives
A proposed exposure visit of HUC member delegations from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal, to be co-organized by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and TSAS, aims to provide an opportunity for mid-/senior- career scholars in under-represented countries to interact with leading higher education and research institutions in India working on issues of water use, management, and policy. It will also be the kick-off meeting of the HUC TWG on Water.
In conjunction to this event, there will be a one-day meeting of senior representatives of existing and prospective HUC members in India, who will discuss the draft of the HUC Strategy and Plan of Action, the process to establish HUC India Chapter, and potential for collaboration and resource sharing across the Consortium.
Participants

Mid-/senior- environmental and social scientists in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal who have been conducting research on water related issues.
University administrators or research institute heads who make critical decisions on research and training directions on the issues.
Approximately 10–12 senior representatives of existing and prospective HUC members are expected to attend the first day of the HUC India Meet 2018.

Expected Outcomes

Delegates are expected to obtain updated knowledge on state-of-the-art water studies and training in higher education and research institutions in India and take active part in networking across the region.
A detailed consultation of a draft of the HUC Strategy and Plan of Action, a draft road map to establish the HUC India Chapter, and a specific plan for resource sharing and mobilization are expected to be achieved at the end of the first day of the HUC India Meet 2018.

International Conference on Mountain Waters and Livelihood, in conjunction with the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) Annual Meeting
2017-10-30 - 2017-11-01 | Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, China
The international conference brings together scholars from the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) and beyond to present state-of-the-art research on the theme of water and livelihood from mountain perspectives.
The Annual Meeting, on the other hand, gathers senior representatives from existing and potential Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) members to discuss ways to strengthen the network and foster regional collaboration in higher education, research, and training in and for the HKH.
These two back-to-back events, co-hosted by Sichuan University , are parts of the network strengthening and capacity building activities supported by the HUC grant from The World Bank under its South Asia Water Initiative (2017-2018).

HUC Academy 2017 - Disaster Risk and Water Management
2017-07-02 - 2017-07-12 | ICIMOD Headquarters, Kathmandu, Nepal
Introduction
South Asia is home to about 21 percent of the global population, but has only about eight percent of the world’s annual renewable water resources. Population growth and urbanization are major drivers of change and increasing water stress in the region. About one billion people live in the three large transboundary basins in the region, the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra. These rivers that emanate from the Greater Himalaya are shared across borders between Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Climate change studies increasingly suggest that the effects of glacial melt, temperature variations, and erratic monsoon patterns will reduce the availability of water in the region and lead to a greater frequency of floods and droughts. Despite the frequency and transboundary impacts of these extreme events, cooperation between countries remains limited. Low per capita water availability, coupled with a very high relative level of water use, makes South Asia one of the most hydrologically vulnerable regions of the world. Conflicting demands on these international waters, increasing water demand, significant inter- and intra-annual hydrologic variability, weak water institutions, and a low level of transboundary cooperation, are the key water resources management challenges of the region. The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) has one of the largest bodies of ice outside the polar ice caps, covering an area of more than 60,000 square kilometres. The glaciers, ice fields, and snow packs provide important intra- and inter-annual water storage facilities, and the mountains are often referred to as the “water towers” of Asia. They are the major source of surface water and groundwater during the dry season. They play a significant role in agriculture and food security, and also have the potential to play a vital role in energy security.

The HUC Academy
The HUC Academy is an annual intensive programme organized at ICIMOD or a member of the Consortium, providing opportunities for young researchers to engage in cross-disciplinary scholarship. It aims for a new generation of transformational leaders committed to mountain research, capable of producing consequential knowledge, innovate policies and environmentally responsible business practices to address HKH mountain challenges from transboundary perspectives. Its four highlighted features are:

mountain focus;
interdisciplinarity;
field-based research; and
leadership building

Objective
The first HUC Academy launched in July 2017 and focusing on Disaster Risk and Water Management aims to enhance scientific and applied knowledge on selected issues of water resource and water-related disaster management of the HKH.
Expected outcomes of the training are:

Improved knowledge of participants on the subject matters for research and training;
Course materials accessible online.

Mobilizing University Research for Tackling Water, Climate Change and Adaptation Challenges in Hindu Kush Himalayan Region
2016-10-24 - 2016-10-26 | Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi, India, India
The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region is the source of ten large Asian river systems and provides water, ecosystem services, and the basis for the livelihoods of more than 210 million people in the South Asia region. Five of the eight HKH countries — Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bhutan — share twenty major rivers emanating from the Greater Himalayas. The basins of these rivers provide water to 1.3 billion people. The river flow regimes, the supply of water and food and energy security in the region are under direct impact from changes in temperature, precipitation and glacier dynamics. Due to the transboundary interconnectedness in water resources and its high relevance in regional stability and sustainable and inclusive growth, regional cooperation is imperative in the management and development of water resources. Regional integration and cooperative transboundary water resource management requires increased accountability and transparency of governments, improved technology, infrastructure, market access, delivery of services, and enhanced social institutions. Among the latter, universities and research centres play a key role in generating, sharing and disseminating knowledge on water resources and provide evidence for effective intergovernmental integrated water resources management policies and practice. Universities and research centres in the region, however, have largely not been able to fulfil their important tasks. This is mostly due to the lack of resources and inadequate institutional and research capacity. Moreover, an information sharing mechanism and platform as well as substantive coordinated efforts in creating and conducting collaborative research and training between institutions are seriously lacking. Himalayan University Consortium (HUC, est. 2007) has its mandate in developing an effective, sustainable network of universities in the HKH, 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 International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), one of HUC’s founding members and the current host of its secretariat, has recently made HUC its sixth regional programme, indicating a strong commitment to foster regional cooperation among research institutions. GBPNIHESD has been among the most active members of the consortium and a strategic implementing partner of ICIMOD.
The Purpose
The proposed International Conference titled “Mobilizing University Research for Tacking Water, Climate Change, and Adaptation Challenges in Hindu Kush Himalayan Region” aims to:

provide a forum for leading scholars in the HKH and beyond to present latest findings and discuss the current issues of the conference theme;
serve as a platform for HUC member university leaders to discuss potential collaborations in research, training, and policy interventions;
provide a venue for university leaders to meet with representatives from policy-making bodies and grant-making agencies for potential synergies in addressing the concerned issues.

Target Groups

leading environmental and social scientists in the HKH region and beyond who have been conducting research on the issues
high-level policy makers and senior practitioners working on water-related issues, policies and interventions
university leaders and research institute heads who make critical decisions on research and training directions on the issues
grant-makers, both government/public and international/inter- and on-governmental, whose work and decisions are relevant to the theme of the conference

Expected Outcomes

an upgrade of state-of-the-art scientific, inter- and multi-disciplinary knowledge on the concerned issues
lessons learned on what works in linking knowledge with policy and practice
discussions on the way forward in partnership building among HUC members for better collaboration in policy-oriented research and training
one or two pairs or groups of HUC members who are interested in proposal writing of the concerned topics are identified and formulated

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