7th International Conference on Heritage Management Education and Practice

The Centre for Heritage Management at Ahmedabad University announces the seventh edition of its International Conference on Heritage Management Education and Practice. This conference will focus on pastoralism and will be organised on the occasion of the United Nations-declared International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) 2026, following its completion, to reflect on its initiatives and outcomes and to continue the dialogue on pastoralism issues.

The conference begins with a simple yet important proposition: pastoralism is not a relic of the past. It is a living, adaptive system with deep relevance for the future. In a context of climate instability, ecological degradation, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, and rural livelihood crises, pastoral systems offer practical lessons in sustainability, flexibility, and resilience.

Globally, an estimated 200-500 million people depend directly on pastoralism for their livelihoods. Pastoral communities inhabit drylands, semi-arid regions, high mountains, and other ecologically fragile landscapes across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. In India alone, more than 40 pastoral communities with a total population ranging from 13 to 20 million people manage livestock across diverse ecological zones. These communities are managers of vast rangelands, custodians of livestock biodiversity, and practitioners of complex ecological knowledge systems.

Pastoral systems contribute directly to global sustainability agendas, including poverty reduction, food security, climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and inclusive governance. They offer low-input, adaptive production models that align with Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As climate risks intensify and drylands expand, the key question is not whether pastoralism is viable, but whether policy and governance systems can recognise, support, and learn from its strengths.

This conference builds on the Centre’s previous international conference on climate change, moving from discussions of the global environmental crisis to a focus on community-based adaptive systems. If climate change demands resilience, pastoralism shows how resilience is practised on the ground. Organised on the occasion of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, following its completion, the conference aims to reflect on IYRP initiatives and outcomes, assess emerging policy directions, and consolidate pathways for future research, documentation, and action, while continuing the dialogue on pastoralism issues.

Submit your Abstracts

Photo Credits: Samanata Kumar

If you have questions, you can write to us at: heritage.conference@ahduni.edu.in

Call for Abstracts

Full paper submission is optional. Registered participants who wish to get their full paper published in the June 2026 issue of the Journal of Heritage Management can submit it by December 31, 2025 (subject to the Journal’s separate peer review process).

Submit your abstract in 300-500 words by August 15, 2025.

Submit your Abstracts

If you have questions, you can write to us at: heritage.conference@ahduni.edu.in

Registration Fees

	Early Bird and Presenters (January 31, 2027)	Regular Registration (February 20, 2027)	Late registration (March 5, 2027)
Academic/Professionals (India and South Asia)	INR 5000	INR 10000	INR 15000
Students (India and South Asia)	INR 3000	INR 5000	INR 10000
Academic/Professionals (all other countries)	USD 100	USD 200	USD 300

Note: The registration fee includes all conference sessions, lunches, tea/coffee and opening and closing receptions

Submit your Abstracts

If you have questions, you can write to us at: heritage.conference@ahduni.edu.in

Download Conference Schedule

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I present my paper in an online format?
Yes, online presentations are permitted only for international presenters; this provision does not apply to those based within the Country.

Will my accommodation, travel and meals be included in the registration fee for the conference?
The registration fee would not include your travel, accommodation expenses. The university will provide a list of nearby places for accommodations. As for the meals, the conference registration fee includes lunch and tea/coffee with snacks for the three days of the conference, but not dinner. The fee will also include the conference kit (including pen-diary, conference abstract booklet, leaflet of Centre for Heritage Management, postcards, etc.) and free access to all the lectures.

Would the hosting institution provide any assistance for the visa application process?
Unfortunately, the university hosting the conference would not provide any assistance in the visa application process. The attendee is requested to apply for a tourist visa.

Will the papers presented in the conference published in post-conference proceedings?
All the abstracts of the papers will be published in a conference booklet, but the full papers won’t be published. However, we have a biannual Journal of Heritage Management in partnership with Sage Publications where you can submit your papers for publication. Publication in this journal will be subjected to a separate peer review process. You can read more about the journal in this link.

Call for Participation

The conference aims to foster cross-disciplinary dialogue and collaborative action in cross-cutting themes of inquiry, like the following, but not limited to:

Pastoralism as Living Heritage
Pastoral knowledge systems, languages, oral traditions, cultural practices, sacred landscapes, cultural sites, transhumance routes, and pastoral cultural landscapes; memory, identity, and cultural continuity in pastoral communities; Music, art, crafts, and aesthetic expressions of pastoral cultures

Pastoralism and Biodiversity Conservation
Rangelands as biodiversity-rich landscapes managed through pastoral practices; Synergies between pastoral management and ecosystem health; Community-led conservation and customary governance systems; Pastoral corridors, wildlife connectivity, and transhumance routes as conservation infrastructure

Climate Resilience and Adaptive Systems
Traditional adaptation strategies and coping mechanisms for climate variability; early warning systems, water management, breed diversity, carbon sequestration and ecosystem services; seasonal migration and herd mobility as adaptive mechanisms

Gender, Youth, and Social Change in Pastoral Systems
Women’s roles in pastoral production, conservation, and community leadership; Intergenerational knowledge transfer; Youth engagement, vocational opportunities, and innovation in pastoral livelihoods; Social inclusion, equity, and fair access to pastoral resources

Governance, Mobility Rights, and Pastoral Futures
Customary tenure systems and community governance; Land rights, pastoral land security, Policies for pastoral mobility and access; Gender and youth voices in pastoral governance

Livelihoods, Markets, and Sustainable Economies
Pastoral value chains and market access; Cooperatives, producer organisations, and fair-trade initiatives; Diversification of income sources and risk management in pastoral economies

Education, Documentation, and Capacity Building
Curriculum development for heritage management and pastoral studies in higher education; Documentation, archiving, and digital heritage approaches for pastoral knowledge; the role of higher education institutions in supporting sustainable pastoralism

This interdisciplinary conference invites:

Academic researchers and scholars across heritage, anthropology, ecology, geography, governance, gender studies, economics, and policy
Heritage professionals, environmental professionals, and community development practitioners
Pastoral community representatives
Policymakers and government officials
International and regional organisations working on pastoralism and sustainable development
Students and researchers
Private sector representatives engaged in pastoral value chains

Abstract Submission: Word count: 300-500 words

Categories for participation

Oral presentation
Panel discussion (coordinated proposals from 3-4 presenters)
Workshop or interactive session
Community presentation
Exhibitions/Stalls

Publication in Journal of Heritage Management
Full paper submission is optional. Registered participants who wish to publish their full paper in the Journal of Heritage Management can submit it by 1 June 2027. Selected papers after going through the Journal’s separate peer review process will be published in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Heritage Management, published biannually in partnership with Sage Publications.

If you have questions, you can write to us at: heritage.conference@ahduni.edu.in

Important Dates

Abstract Submission Deadline	Sunday, December 20, 2026
Abstracts Acceptance Notification	Friday, January 15, 2027
Last date for Authors/Speakers/Early bird registrations	Sunday, January 31, 2027
Last Date of Participants Registration (Regular)	Saturday, February 20, 2027
Late Registrations	Friday, March 5, 2027
Conference Dates	Friday-Sunday, March 12-14, 2027