Background
The Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) has been operating as membership-based, apolitical, international academic network within and outside the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region since 2007. It is committed to safeguarding planetary health by promoting in-country, regional, and international cooperation in research, education, capacity development, policy advocacy, and public outreach for resilient, just, inclusive, and regenerative communities and thriving geo- and ecosystems in the HKH region. The HUC envisions a peaceful, resilient, inclusive, just, and regenerative HKH where individuals, communities, and nations make knowledge based and ethical decisions for life betterment, culture preservation, and environmental regenerability. The Consortium’s mission is to co-create, together with stakeholders, knowledge and build competencies to address local and global challenges pertinent to the Hindu Kush Himalayan peoples and societies by providing unique education, research, capacity-building and innovation opportunities through collaboration within a self-reliant and future-fit network of institutional and individual members. The HUC’s nine core values – Mountain focus, Academic excellence, Inclusive, Respectful, Collaborative, Ethical, Open, Influential, and Self-reliant – are the foundation upon which the Consortium builds its consensual alliance.
The HUC governance structure comprises its institutional and individual members, a General Assembly (GA), an Executive Committee (EC), and an Executive Secretary (Secretariat), hosted by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The HUC General Assembly, comprised of institutional and individual members, provides strategic leadership for programme development of the Consortium. The General Assembly serves as the highest governing and decision-making body of HUC and acts as a forum for consultation and cooperation for implementation of the HUC programmes through its members.
The Officers of the General Assembly and their responsibilities
In addition to the Secretary, the Officers of the General Assembly are the President and two Vice Presidents. The Officers of the General Assembly are responsible for preparing action items for the Assembly and overseeing the implementation of decisions made by the GA.
The President shall preside over the meetings of the General Assembly. The two Vice Presidents are authorised to act on behalf of the President whenever the President is unable to represent the HUC. The GA Officers provide strategic leadership to the Consortium and guidance to its Executive Committee and the Secretariat.
The President and two Vice Presidents of the HUC represent the HUC in the HKH and outside the region, engage in high-level science diplomacy, build strategic partnerships with international alliances and organisations, and mobilise country-based and international financial resources and other forms of support for the Consortium’s activities and strategic development. The President leads the negotiation for the hosting arrangements of the Secretariat.
For practical reasons during the HUC’s transition to a self-reliant network and to facilitate the legal registration process, it is desirable that the President resides in the country where legal registration takes place. As a network with distributive administration, the operation of the HUC is primarily managed through e-governance and, therefore, most of the interactions are expected to be virtual, with limited country-based and regional travel. During the transition period, more frequent (e-)meetings, once a month on average, are anticipated.
The President and Vice Presidents are elected for a three-year term, renewable once. Officers of the General Assembly are honorary titles without monetary remuneration. In line with HUC Charter 2025 and Bylaws Amendment 2025, it is desirable that at least one of the three GA Officers is a woman.
Qualifications and Experience
Officers of the General Assembly shall be eminent scholars with internationally recognised academic achievements and track record of high-level experience in administration and leadership in higher education. Nominees to the GA Officers should have the following qualifications and experience:
- Outstanding scholarly achievements in any academic field with a strong focus on mountain issues and HKH specificities.
- Experience in high-level stakeholder engagements such as policy translation and policy consultation at the national level in one or more countries in the HKH. Experience in science diplomacy in regional cooperation and bringing mountain issues to the global agenda is desirable.
- Experience in higher education leadership, including administration and organisational management.
- Experience in fostering regional and international collaboration in research, education, and capacity development in the HKH.
- Experience in resource mobilisation at national and international levels.
- Practical familiarity with the HUC’s approach and high credibility among key HUC constituencies would be an advantage.
Nominees should demonstrate commitment to the mission and values of the HUC, willingness to devote time and energy to its activities, demonstrated judgment, freedom from conflicts of interest with the HUC, professionalism and personal integrity.
Process
Nominations can be made by any member of the General Assembly, institutional or individual. Candidates must come from the ranks of institutional representatives, alternate representatives (focal persons), and individual members. Institutional endorsement is required for self-nomination.
A nomination dossier includes a Nomination Letter by the Head of Institution; an academic Curriculum Vitae; and a Letter of Interest by the Nominee, to be submitted to the HUC Secretariat at Chi.Truong@icimod.org and huc@icimod.org no later than 23:59hr local time Monday 16 June 2025.
The Executive Committee will review the nominations and make recommendations to the General Assembly for an open election by members.
Deadline: Call for Nominations is open from 2 June through 16 June 2025; extended to 23 June 2025.
