Southasia Institute of Advanced Studies (SIAS)

05/10/2026

❌ 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 ❌

📢𝐕𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 | 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫

We are seeking a Nepal-based 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 to join a collaborative project between the National University of Singapore (NUS), South Asia Institute of Advanced Studies (SIAS), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), and Ashoka University. The project examines 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 in Dolakha and Ramechhap districts, Nepal.

🔍 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬:
- Oversee data collection for a quantitative household survey in Dolakha and Ramechhap, including coordination of field logistics and research activities.
- Carry out basic data cleaning, management, and statistical analysis.
- Liaise and coordinate with other researchers on the project to support integration of social science and ecological data collection.
- Assist with and/or lead the qualitative component of the project, including focus group discussions with ward leaders and semi-structured interviews with landowners and youth.

🎓 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲:
- A master’s or PhD degree in a social science discipline.
-Proficiency in Nepali language.
-Basic knowledge of quantitative data management and cleaning.
-Ability and willingness to undertake fieldwork in Dolakha and Ramechhap, including 2-3 weeks of team-based fieldwork during winter 2026/27 and spring/summer 2027
-Strong organizational and communication skills and the ability to coordinate with a collaborative research team.

🫴 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫:
- Compensation based on experience.
-The opportunity to collaborate with an international and interdisciplinary research team across NUS, SIAS, SLU, and Ashoka University.
-Hands-on experience in field research, survey implementation, data management, analysis, and mixed-methods research.
-Opportunities to contribute to research design and co-authored publications.
-Mentorship and support for research and career development, together with intellectual engagement with SIAS in Kathmandu.

📩 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲:
Email the project PI Carly E Nichols ([email protected]) along with project Co-PIs Dil Bahadur Khatri([email protected]) and Harry Fischer ([email protected]) with a copy of your CV/resume and a cover letter that describes demonstrated experience/qualifications and interest in the position.

🌐 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞:
https://sias-southasia.org/vacancies/vacancy-announcement-social-science-researcher/

05/10/2026

On 20 September 2026, four women entrepreneurs from Dolakha pitched their business growth plans to local officials, banks and private sector representatives in Charikot . Each plan is the result of the entrepreneurship development and financial literacy training and follow-up coaching sessions from March - September 2026, under the Climate Action Financing for Women and Social Enterprises (CAFIN) project, supported by SIAS and FECOFUN Dolakha. The event was followed by a meaningful discussion with local stakeholders, which led to practical feedback and new opportunities.

For more details: https://sias-southasia.org/events/women-entrepreneurs-pitch-business-growth-ideas-to-stakeholders-in-dolakha/

Sushant Acharya Gyanu Maskey Sajjan Regmi

On 20 September 2026, four women entrepreneurs from Dolakha pitched their business growth plans to district-level stakeholders in Charikot, Dolakha. The event

29/09/2026

𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐢 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐮𝐥𝐢: 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢-𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩

The Muhan Project and Kamalamai Municipality brought together diverse stakeholders including the mayor, water user groups, farmers, hotel entrepreneurs, and community leaders for a springwater management workshop in Sindhuli on 23 September 2026.

SIAS, Nepal Development Research Institute (NDRI) and Nepal Water Conservation Foundation for Academic Research (NWCF), the Muhan research partners in Nepal, presented the biophysical, socio-economic, and governance dimensions of springwater management, along with potential technical solutions identified through research and community consultations. With rising water demand and declining flow in Gwang Khola, participants agreed on the need for better coordination, source protection, and recharge measures. A key outcome was the formation of a seven-member task force to connect upstream and downstream communities and support the municipality on water policy and long-term planning.

A step toward community-led, evidence-based water governance. 💧🌿

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬: https://sias-southasia.org/events/inclusive-and-sustainable-springwater-management-in-kamalamai-municipality-sindhuli-knowledge-exchange-and-multi-stakeholder-deliberation-workshop/

01/09/2026

At the IOF International Conference held during 14-16 August 2026, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐒, 𝐃𝐫 Dil Bahadur Khatri chaired a session titled ‘𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬: 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥–𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬’.

Four presentations included in the session highlighted the need for thinking beyond forest cover and tree planting but more on forest health and human wellbeing. The session stressed the need to take a relational approach to restoration, not only between forest and people, but also deeper and different forms of relations, i.e., relations between different plant species, between humans and non-humans, and between cultural and spiritual relations.

27/08/2026

We are deeply saddened by the devastating flash flood that struck near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, severely impacting the communities across Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. Our heartfelt prayers go out to all the families affected by this sudden tragedy.

This devastating event is yet another stark reminder of the impacts of a changing climate, the fragility of mountain geography, the transboundary nature of hazards, and the urgent need to strengthen disaster preparedness and resilience.

We urge everyone to rely on credible and official news sources only. We hope that immediate relief, rescue and support reach every individual in need.

We stand in solidarity with the affected communities. The SIAS family is contributing to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund, and we encourage others to support the government’s rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts.

May strength, courage, and hope guide us all through this difficult time as we stand united with the affected communities.

Together, we will heal, recover, and rebuild. 🕊️🤍

26/08/2026

𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐒 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐨𝐅 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 | 𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐒-𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐆𝐏𝐈) 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥 |𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭

On 16 August, Dr Sushant Acharya, Program Director at SIAS, delivered a presentation on ‘𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐃𝐨 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞? 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐥’.

The discussion focused on whether the autonomy of community forest (CF) user groups to protect, manage and utilise forest resources has been constrained by the introduction of scientific knowledge and increasingly complex provisions in operational plans, alongside rigorous bureaucratic procedures for their preparation and implementation. These processes have confined operational plans largely to fulfilling legal requirements, rather than serving as practical management guides for communities. Recognising different forest management needs, valuing communities’ knowledge and capacities, and allowing flexibility in implementation could strengthen community autonomy and empower them to participate in CF management.

25/08/2026

𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐤𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐑𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐌𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭

On 21 August 2026, the Muhan Project team and Sunkoshi Rural Municipality co-organised a preliminary research-sharing workshop, bringing together local government representatives, community leaders, water users, farmers, and NGOs to reflect on emerging findings and discuss priorities for sustainable springwater management.

SIAS, NDRI, and NWCF, the Muhan research partners in Nepal, presented the biophysical, socio-economic, and governance dimensions of springwater management, along with potential technical solutions identified through research and community consultations, including recharge ponds, vegetative check dams, and household-level water retention measures.

Participants highlighted that spring flows are declining even as demand for water grows. The Palika Chairperson reflected that infrastructure development, particularly road construction, has disrupted local water sources and recharge zones, and that limited technical expertise has constrained the effectiveness of municipal investments despite significant spending. She shared the experience of the "𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘬𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪" initiative, where many ponds were concretised and therefore did not adequately serve their intended groundwater recharge function, reinforcing the need for evidence-based planning.

This reflection highlighted an important lesson: development interventions need to be informed by research and grounded in a clear understanding of local water systems to ensure sustainable water management. Municipal representatives reaffirmed their commitment to support the Muhan Project, while also leveraging resources from provincial and federal governments, as well as other sources to support future spring conservation and recharge interventions.

Nepal Development Research Institute Nepal Water Conservation Foundation for Academic Research CSIRO Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

19/08/2026

𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐒 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐨𝐅 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 | 𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐒-𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐆𝐏𝐈) 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥

Aligning with the theme of the panel ‘𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭’, 𝐃𝐫 Dil Bahadur Khatri, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐒, presented on ‘𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭? 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐦? 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬.’ Building on Dr Sushant Acharya’s reflection on how operational plans of Nepal’s community forests became inoperable, and Dr Govinda Paudel’s account of growing regret of past forest management, Dr Khatri provided a broader reflection on why contemporary restoration and forest management interventions across Southasia mountains fractured historical forest-people relations.

Using the cases of Nepal, Bhutan and Nilgiris hills, he argued that the domination of technical knowledge and bureaucratic authority in shaping forest governance and management disempowered the local communities affecting their ability to define local forest management priorities. Such reflection suggests rethinking planning and management approach recognising local forest-people relations and local experiential knowledge. He argued that local communities should be able to define what is the good forest for them and be able to shape decisions to achieve such forests. For this, there is a need for more responsive rather than deterministic planning i.e. more useful and implementable forest management planning. Dr Dilli Poudel’s presentation builds this conversation by exploring local aspiration about future of forests management and community forestry in Nepal.

19/08/2026

𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐒 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐨𝐅 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 | 𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐒-𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐆𝐏𝐈) 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥 |𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭

On 16 August, Dilli Dinesh Poudel – Thematic Lead: Urban and Disaster at SIAS, delivered a talk on '𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐘: 𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠'

The presentation examined the widening gap between the assumptions on which Community Forestry (CF) was founded and the realities of rural Nepal today. CF was founded on the belief that communities depend directly on local forests, migrate less, and voluntarily organize. The discussion focused on how CF institutions have not adjusted to this shift: households rely heavily on remittances, hold diversified incomes, and operate as multi-locational communities. To reinvigorate CF, we must envision commercially minded approaches that reflect our human-geographical diversity, while continuing to protect households that rely on subsistence forest use. It concluded that modernizing forest governance will require a range of CF models matched to changing socio-spatial realities, rather than a single template.

18/08/2026

𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐒 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐨𝐅 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 | 𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐒-𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐆𝐏𝐈) 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥 |𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭

On 16 August, Dr Govinda Paudel - Thematic Lead: Forest and Environment at SIAS, delivered a talk on '𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐓: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 ‘𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝’ 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬'. The presentation is about why and how CF policies in Nepal fall short of delivering the promised outcomes and end up with unintended outcomes that communities profoundly regret. The discussions focused on the different narratives of success, from state and communities, and nature of the unresponsive government to the regrets that communities experience and that impacting their way of life and livelihoods and the discussion concluded with way forward to address (and overcome) those regrets. This is a chapter of the book entitled 'Living with uncertainty in South Asian mountains: rethinking climate change and policy in high places. Anthem Press headquartered in London, UK is publishing the book in October 2026.