The Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations is a constituent institute of the Quaid-i-Azam University. It came into being in 1997 as a matured form of the Center for Central Asian Studies. In 2007, the Institute was merged into the administrative framework of the Quaid-i-Azam University. In its present, transitional form the Institute maintains two of the original functions of the previous Center, the first being the sponsorship and participation in seminars and conferences on various aspects of history and civilization in Pakistan and, secondly, publication of its biannual journal, The Journal of Asian Civilizations (formerely: The Journal of Central Asia), a scholarly journal that has been published for more than a quarter of a century. The third function of the Institute is its PhD programme. The first scholars for the PhD were enrolled in 1999. In 2008, the Institute will initiate its MPhil programme.

The staff of the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations consists of three full time academics and two visiting faculty members. At present some of the students are being supervised by faculty from other departments of the university. The regular academic staff of the Institute are Prof. Dr. Ahmad Hasan Dani, Professor emeritus and Permanent Advisor, Dr. M. Salim, Acting Director. Other faculty members are Prof. Dr. Hugh van Skyhawk, Dr. Ghani-ur-Rehman, and Prof. Dr. Fateh Muhammad Malik.

The Institute has conducted a regular series of student's seminars since 2000 and is continuing with a fortnightly series of seminars in which young scholars will present and defend their research designs. The institute plans to initiate a series of faculty seminars and visiting lectures related to the Asian civilizations that come within the research focus of the Institute. For this purpose, scholars from Asian countries who visit Pakistan will be involved. In addition, guest lecturers will be invited from Central Asia, the Middle East, the Far East, South Asia and China to interact with the staff and students of the Institute.

The Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations is intended to function as an institute which promotes research on Asian Civilizations, past and present, and to focus on the interaction  of the countries of Asia in the various fields of cultural research. The Institute will support all such activities that can inspire scholars and academicians to understand the common and diverse features of the people of Asia, primarily in a historical mold, but by no means confined to the study of history. Awareness of the unity and diversity of the human spirit in the religions, languages, and cultures of this vast continent shall inform all interdisciplinary research at the Taxila Institute. The Institute hopes to increase both its permanent and its visiting or adjunct faculty in the near future. Moreover, we hope to  involve well wishers, friends and associates from all parts of the world in joint projects to increase our knowledge of the past and present civilizations of Asia.

History of the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations