AASSREC - ICSSR 26th Biennial General Conference

The AASSREC-ICSSR 2026 Biennial Conference, held in New Delhi, India, from 3–5 December 2025, brought together more than 90 leading social science experts, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond to examine the role of social sciences in shaping sustainable and equitable futures. Centred on the theme “Social Science Research in the Indo-Pacific for Sustainable Futures,” the conference provided a platform for participants to reflect on and explore how interdisciplinary, locally grounded, and globally informed research could generate actionable insights for sustainable, inclusive, and just futures.

The significant event was hosted by the Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils (AASSREC) and the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) at the Royal Plaza Hotel, New Delhi, with generous financial support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada, through the 2023–2026 Boosting Social Sciences in the Indo-Pacific and their Contributions to Better Lives programme.

PRIA and UNESCO Chair in Community-Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education contributed to the conference through a session on “Sustainable Policies for a Changing Indo-Pacific,” chaired by Dr. Rajesh Tandon. The session featured presentations and perspectives from Dr. Rabi Raj, Ms. Saanya Sodhi, Mr. Shailesh Panwar, Secretary, Himalayan Action Research Centre (HARC), Ms. Paloma Aguilar, DECODE’s Latin America Regional Coordinator, and Dr. Arjan de Haan, Senior Program Specialist, IDRC.

Click here to read the conference and session report. Click here for the ppt