From 25 to 27 September 2026, LUMS hosted the Association for Asian Studies' AAS-in-Asia Conference under the theme Centering Asia: Refiguring Connections, Recharting Futures. Welcoming over 1,000 participants from 37 countries across 323 panels and more than 1,200 speakers, the conference marked a significant milestone in bringing global Asian Studies scholarship to Pakistan — and to Lahore, a city whose layered histories made it a fitting home for the conversations that unfolded over three days.

The conference opened on 25 September with welcome addresses by Vice Chancellor Dr. Ali Cheema and Dr. Elora Shehabuddin, President of the Association for Asian Studies, followed by a keynote address by Dr. Adil Najam, President of WWF International and Dean Emeritus at the Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University.

Throughout the three days, exhibitions and workshops enriched the programme alongside the academic sessions. Endangered Imprints traced the historically significant rock carvings of northern Pakistan, while Mobile Lives by The Migration Collective offered an immersive exploration of migration through routes, seasons, and lived experiences. Hast-o-Neest Pakistan ran hands-on workshops in Islamic calligraphy, manuscript illumination, geometric pattern, and Mughal miniature painting. A Dhrupad performance and a Cultural Village brought Lahore's artistic and culinary traditions directly to participants. Open Houses hosted by SWGI, the LUMS Learning Institute, and the American Institute of Pakistan Studies, as well as a Global University Fair gave participants further opportunities to connect and collaborate with each other.

The conference closed with a celebration of the collective effort that brought AAS-in-Asia 2026 to life, culminating in a vibrant showcase of artistic traditions from across Pakistan, a fitting close to three days of sustained intellectual exchange.