Kathmandu University · ICIHS
International Field School 2026
Heritage, Tourism and Transformation of Cultural Landscapes
Critical Reflections on Sustainable Development
Apply NowApplication deadline: 15 October 2026
About the programme
An intensive field school across Nepal.
The International Centre for Interdisciplinary Heritage Studies plans to organize international field schools in Nepal and elsewhere on interdisciplinary themes around heritage. The first field school will take place in Nepal in November 2026.
With pleasant weather and expected clear views of the Himalayan range, the programme combines lectures, field visits, and interactions with local communities and stakeholders—including the tourism sector—to critically reflect on the intersections of heritage, tourism, and cultural landscapes.
Nepal brings extraordinary cultural and natural diversity within a compact but dramatically varied geography—from about 70 metres to 8,850 metres above sea level. The field school appreciates community-based and community-centred initiatives while critically examining the gaps and opportunities within heritage-based tourism.
Key thematic areas
Three lenses for critical reflection.
Heritage
Cultural, natural, tangible, and intangible heritage—understood within a setting as an integral part of everyday life.
Tourism
An economic tool with the potential to support communities and places, but one that requires careful and responsible planning.
Cultural Landscapes
A landscape-scale domain of heritage shaped by the interaction between cultural groups and a mix of human-made and natural elements.
The learning journey
Selected cases across Nepal.
Explore cultural and natural World Heritage Sites, tourism destinations, vernacular settlements, and emerging community initiatives.
01
Kathmandu Valley & nearby towns
Study Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Sites alongside Dhulikhel, Panauti, and Dapcha, including tentative World Heritage Sites in the vicinity.
02
Chitwan National Park
Examine heritage and tourism within Nepal’s natural World Heritage Site and its surrounding community landscapes.
03
Pokhara & Ramkot
Explore a popular tourism destination, nearby trekking landscapes, and Ramkot as an emerging village-tourism initiative.
04
Bandipur
Conclude with the hill town’s fascinating story of heritage and tourism working in synchronization with its surrounding landscapes.
Programme information
Who can join?
Early and early-mid career professionals
Professionals seeking critical, creative, and interdisciplinary engagement with heritage, tourism, and sustainable development.
Graduate students
Students interested in intensive field-based learning, international exchange, and direct engagement with communities and places.
Interested participants
Anyone interested in heritage-based tourism and its impacts on cultural landscapes, including vernacular settlements.
International and interdisciplinary: Participants from different countries will learn alongside internationally acknowledged and local resource persons in an intensive yet enjoyable programme.
Application and registration
Start with your application.
Submit your application by 15 October 2026. Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. Accepted applicants will receive registration and payment instructions. Once the 15 available places are filled, additional eligible applicants will be placed on a waiting list.
Applicants who apply early and are placed on the waiting list will remain eligible for the early registration rate. The course fee must be paid in full only after ICIHS asks an accepted applicant to proceed.
Apply NowApplication deadline15 October 2026
Step 1Early registrationUSD 800
By 1 NovemberRegular registrationUSD 900
By 13 NovemberYour programme fee includes: accommodation, three meals, transportation, entrance fees, and course materials for the programme duration.
Possible subsidised cost
Applying as a group of two?
Two participants who are willing to share a room may inquire about a shared-room rate expected to be approximately USD 650–700 per person. The exact cost will depend on hotel arrangements and will be available only when venue and transportation capacity permits. Both participants must submit separate applications and may then contact ICIHS by email to request this option.
Programme announcement
International Field School 2026
