The International Association for Tibetan Studies (IATS) has announced that its flagship global conference, originally scheduled to take place in Kathmandu from 23 to 29 August 2026, will now be held entirely online after the Nepal government instructed Kathmandu University not to host the event. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from the academic community and raised questions about Nepal's posture on academic freedom.

How the Intervention Unfolded

On 3 August 2026, senior Nepali officials delivered the instruction in person to university leadership. According to the IATS, Chief Secretary Govinda Bahadur Karkee and Foreign Affairs Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai met with Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr Rishikesh Wagle, Registrar Prof. Dr Rajeev Shrestha, and Prof. Dr Sagar Sharma of the Himalaya Centre for Asian Studies to convey the government's position. Notably, no formal written communication was issued — the IATS confirmed that neither the conference convenors nor the association received anything in writing from the government.

Following the directive, the IATS Board convened an emergency online meeting on 7 August and voted to assume the role of conference convenor and shift the 17th Seminar of the IATS to a fully online format. The decision was announced publicly on 8 August 2026.

The China Connection

Local media reports in Nepal have linked the government's decision to concerns raised by China, given Beijing's longstanding sensitivity over international gatherings focused on Tibetan scholarship. Kathmandu University, however, has stated it is unaware of any such external pressure. The Nepal government has not offered a public explanation for the instruction, and the absence of written communication has further fuelled speculation about the diplomatic underpinnings of the move.

This comes amid a broader pattern of Nepal navigating an increasingly delicate balance between its relationships with China and India, with Kathmandu frequently accused by civil society groups of self-censoring on Tibet-related issues to avoid friction with Beijing.

Impact on Scholars and the Host City

The fallout is considerable. More than 700 participants had already purchased air tickets and booked hotel accommodation in Kathmandu in anticipation of the in-person event. The Himalaya Centre for Asian Studies and the KU Centre for Buddhist Studies at the Rangjung Yeshe Institute had spent three years preparing the seminar — an arrangement agreed upon by all parties in 2023 — and had incurred significant organisational expenses.

The IATS warned that 'the effective cancellation of this conference by the authorities will raise questions about holding future academic events in the country, and is likely to result in economic and reputational damage' to Nepal.

IATS Response and the Road Ahead

Despite the disruption, the IATS has committed to preserving the academic programme in its entirety. 'The programme will remain the same, and participants will be able to attend and present online from wherever they are at the time,' the association said, adding that adjustments for different time zones would not be possible.

The board described the government's action as 'unexpected and unwarranted interference' in a purely scholarly event. The IATS said it would continue to advocate for an international platform for research on Tibetan and Himalayan studies, though the incident is expected to cast a long shadow over Nepal's standing as a host for sensitive academic gatherings.