The Institute of Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis (ISSRA) at the National Defence University (NDU), Islamabad, commendably brought together Area Study Centres (ASCs) from across Pakistan for the 'Area Study Centres Dialogue' on August 27, 2026 - perhaps for the first time in their history. The theme focused on their perspectives regarding 'Transforming Global Order and Trends'.

The ASCs were created under the Area Study Centres Act No. XLV of 1975 by Parliament to "promote specialized, interdisciplinary academic research on geopolitically and economically important world regions", and to "foster informed foreign policy making, regional expertise, and academic diplomacy". These centres are funded by the federal government through the Higher Education Commission (HEC), formerly the Ministry of Education. Unfortunately, conducting MPhil and PhD courses is merely a supplement to their primary mandate.

The six ASCs include those located at: a) the University of Peshawar (established in the 1970s), which covers China, Russia, and Central Asia, and publishes the journal Central Asia; b) the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, which focuses on American and African studies and publishes The Pakistan Journal of American Studies; c) the University of Karachi, which handles European studies; d) the University of Sindh, Jamshoro, which deals with the Far East and Southeast Asia; e) the University of the Punjab, Lahore, which focuses on South Asian states and domestic socioeconomic patterns; and f) the University of Balochistan, Quetta (established later in 1989), which covers the Middle East and Arab countries.

As always, there were scores of in-person and online participants during the........

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