Background

Since the days of earliest British exploration and consolidation of the region from about the middle of the 18th century, a vast pool of information and research regarding the Northern Areas has been compiled which is extraordinary. Areas of research interest have run the full gamut from Anthropology to Zoology.

Many of these studies represent significant and serious fieldwork which can be valuable today. Also, a great deal of modern work has been conducted by some of the world's most renowned experts in their fields but this information is either unknown, unfamiliar or unavailable to other researchers, academics, students and writers. 

Therefore, while there is a considerable database on the biophysical, cultural and socioeconomic aspects of the Northern Areas, most of this data is scattered and not easily accessible by both the general and specific research communities.

Premise of the Conference

Karakurum International University envisions an international conference to address this deficiency and find ways to correct it. The conference will take place on the premise that amalgamation of research material in one place would reduce duplication of effort, conserve resources, provide coordination and perhaps promote mutual cooperation and centralize documentation and inventory keeping. At the same time such a focal point could be equipped to provide congenial space, basic infrastructure and communication facilities to assist the efforts of groups of researchers and explorers.

The participants will be invited to brainstorm the following issues:

• The need, nature, objectives and structure of a possible partnership or  network 
• Benefits of such a network/partnership to the Northern Areas
• KIU's offer to assist in  this endeavour

The participants will discuss ways and means of pulling together existing research on ecological, geological, cultural and socioeconomic aspects of the Northern Areas into one focal point for easy access to all interested parties. It is envisioned that representatives from each field of research will form groups to discuss the volume of existing data, where it is located, in what forms it may be located (printed, electronic, etc.) and find ways to draw the material together.

It will also discuss how best to use the expertise, instrumentation and the partnership  resource to foster capacity building for multidisciplinary  research and education of KIU.

The different groups will then meet as a collective body to best determine how to proceed with the compilation of material, where it should be housed and a timeframe for accomplishing this task.